[karen1]

I was born and adopted in NJ. I am 35 yrs old now and have decided to find my bfamily. My Amom tried to find info out about me years ago through DYFS, who handled my adoption. They told her sorry, it's all confidential. We both feel that it is my right to get good solid medical background from both parents. Anyway I contacted DYFS and they are starting my search for me. Get this they asked me for the name on my original birth certificate. I told them they had it not my aparents. They DYFS rep said that my parents should have been given the info off the original. I asked my amom for it and we went through all of the papers again, She is adament that all info was kept from her and my adad for the protection of privacy. Why is it that DYFS who has told us this repeatedly in the past feels that we should know this? Who actually has my b certificate if they don't? And would DYFS actually change a DOB? My afamily wasn't given any info, let alone any options to change anything. This is all greatly frustrating and upsetting. Something has to change here! We have rights.

[Search Angel]

hang in there! sadly this date of birth changing thing happens frequently. at the time of your birth your original birth certificate is sealed, they have it and their lying to you. I was told mine was burnt in a fire....and that was after they said they had no record of me ever being born in that county, and when i showed the people my proof, my amended birth certificate, and my adoption agency papers....suddenly they had "had" my papers, but they had been burnt in a fire. Strange, now that i've been talking to people for the past year who have been searching, i'd say 1 out of 3 have been told the good ole' burnt in a fire lie.
people think that they know more about whats right than us. They think that since we were adopted, we don't need any ties to our post, they use the "protecting your birthmothers privacy" line, which is also a load of dog poop. Sure maybe some mothers want their privacy kept a secret, but there wouldn't be websites like "birthmothers exploited by adoption" there wouldn't be national campaigns of mothers saying "they were NEVER promised secrecy" theres alot of lies in the adoption industry, too many. If all of the secrets were uncovered, all those money hungry adoption agencies, wouldn't be cashing in at the value and sacrifice of a persons heritage and beginning.
I slept at the courthouse overnight when they wouldn't give me my records. Make a stand, do NOT accept this. They have it!!!! Our rights as citizens of the united states are more than being ignored. The last group of citizens to be denied these common rights were "slaves". what does that tell you about the adoption secrecy in this country? Never give up. Use that anger to move mountains. Its possible, there is enough of us, and the time is near. Change will only happen if we believe. One day we can look back at these times the way we look at slavery and womens rights. All it takes is one person to make a difference, and we have thousands.

good luck.

Kali

[Rosalind]

I find it unbelievable that in this enlightened age< adoptee and birth relatives still do now have access to their records.

In the United Kingdom the records have been available since 1975 to adoptees and info available to birth relatives in recent years, that service to expand in the coming months. All reports state very few if any problems from the opening of the records, despite the warnings of horror from the adoption industry and the adopters.

To all who care enough about adoptees and birth parents rights I would like to suggest that you lobby your elected congressmen and state representatives.

There are so many articulate people who contribute to this site, that I think there must be a wealth of interest and know how on this subject.

Rosalind