Argumentative Essay On Closed Adoption

Adoption has been around since ancient times. Children at that time were given up be a slave or to become an heir for their adopted family’s name (Rowen). As time went on, however, adoption became more for the well-being of the child. Up until 1917 these adoptions were very informal. Informal adoptions could be described similar to transferring deeds of a house to a new owner (Carroll). Minnesota thought it was time to make adoption more official. They passed a law which required a child welfare agency to investigate every child that was placed with a new family. This law created what is known as closed adoption (Rowen). The government thought closed adoptions would allow the child to bond with their adoptive parents without the birth parents
Laura chose an open adoption because her sister was adopted through a closed adoption and it brought no blessing to her. Laura believed that the secrecy of closed adoption brought her sister to have issues with anxiety and low self esteem. Laura said, “Ariel hasn’t had to deal with identity issues to the same degree as my sister. She knows her birthparents, and with that, she knows a lot more about herself. She knows who she looks like and her inherited medical history. Most importantly, she knows why she was given for adoption and that her biological parents loves her. It is essential that Ariel feels comfortable with her adoption and perceive her birthparents as positive, wonderful factors in her life” (“Open Adoption”). Ariel’s adoptive father also believes open adoption can help a child because, “In closed adoption, you face the prospect of keeping a secret and lying to your child about his or her origin. That violates the most basic relationship between a parent and child: TRUST!” (“Open Adoption”). Having the biological parents in the child’s life to inform them will help them understand who they are and creates a stronger relationship between both the child and the adoptive