[RuthieO]

Hello all,

I am a University student who is the preparation stages of writing a psychology Senior Thesis. My topic includes non-White couples who have adopted White children and White children of non-White parents. I am Black and have the desire to adopt many children of different races, including White. I'm not sure what the current policy is, which I why I chose this topic. I want to study the effects (mentally, physically, spiritually etc) of a White child being brought up in a family of parents of a different race. I have heard many accounts of White parents adopting non White children, but not the other way around.

What I am asking is if there are any couples out there who are not White who have adopted White children? Also, are there any non white couples who have attempted or are attempting to adopted a White child? Also, are there any White individuals who grew up with non White parents? I'd love to hear your story and include you in my research. If you can contact me, that would be great.

Thanks so much for your time

Ruth

[Sharon]

I have never heard of such a thing, although I've heard of many AA couples on these boards adopting biracial children. I've often wondered if white children are ever adopted by non-white families. I'll be interested to see if you get any replies.
Good luck on your thesis.
~ Sharon

[AMom2Two]

I think this type of adoption would be very hard unless this was a direct placement, open adoption where bparents selected the aparents or the adoption of an older child. Even then most agencies always try to place the child within the same race first, if at all possible. There are so many caucasian couples hoping to adopt a child within their race, that I doubt they would have to consider placing outside of the race. JMHO.

[Jeanne21]

I disagree with AMom2Two... there are many children in foster care that no one seems to want to adopt (because they are older, or have some sort of "problem"). I HAVE heard of non-white people adopting white children. It is not common because there are more children of colour available for adoption, and people of colour tend to adopt less frequently. People of colour tend to adopt (and are pressured to adopt) children of colour because these children are harded to place. However, I have heard of Hispanic, Asian and African-Americans adopting children who are white, both in Canada and the US.

[mckenna]

i have a friend who is a foster parent, she is aa and so is her sister. her sister is a foster/adoptive parent. for months she had been telling me about her sister's new daughter (who is a teen). i just assumed she was aa. i just met her the other day and she is blonde haired and blueed!! later i told her what i had assumed, she just laughed and said i was waiting to see what you said. she thinks it is great!! so do i! they seem to be adjusting really well.

[Keshet]

I have once read the story of a black female social worker married with a white man. The couple wanted to adopt - and was rated as an AA couple! That race issue did disgust them!

[RuthieO]

Hi everyone,

It's me again, the student that started this thread. Thank you all for your replies, I hope there are more to come. I just wanted to make a few comments about myself. As I said before, I am Black (Nigerian Canadian to be exact) and my family has been fostering since 1999. It's really funny (? I guess) when people hear that I have foster brothers/sister and they assume that either I'm the one that is fostered, or that my brothers and sisters are black. They are amazed when they found out that they are not. We haven't even had a black child in our house. We have only had three races when it came to my brothers and sisters: White, Native and one Asian. But they are still my brothers and sisters. The older ones are the only ones that even recognize that we are different races, but it didn't bother most of them. The younger ones don't even really know the difference. All they know is that they have such older [foster] brothers and sisters and that's cool for them.

However, other than my story and that of my aunt and a few other people I know, I have heard of a Non White family adopting a White child. Therefore I'm asking again, if there are any Non White parents out there who have either adoptedfostered or are in the midst of adopting/fostering a White child, please let me know. If there are any Non White individuals who grew up with White adoptive/fostered brothers/sisters, please let me know. If there are any of you who know of any Non White couples who have adopted or fostered White children, please let me know. And if there are any White individuals who were adopted/fostered by Non White parents, please let me know.

I know it's a lot to ask. Thanks in advance.

Take care and I love reading all your stories,

God Bless,

Ruth

[redhedded]

I read, last year I believe, an article in the San Francisco paper about a single African American woman who had fostered then adopted her Caucasian daughter. She talked extensively about her experiences in the community and how others often assumed she was the nanny. Her daughter was in grade school at the time of publication. I had not read such a story before but was not at all surprised, as for decades it was African Americans almost exlusively who fostered and adopted biracial (African American/Caucasian) children. I will perform a search to see if I can come up with a link or at least, a name. Best of luck on your thesis.

[whtmtnspirit]

hmmmm, to say has anyone adopted someone different( this is to try to address the issue from different prespective) well i come from a family where over the generations, there is within the families the children born , and those that were adopted.

somehow we learned quickly to see beyound color, and the real issue of identity, respect and dignity for whom someone is in culture and ethnic heritage.

we are jamacian, spanish, native american, french, afro american, english, german, etc. all within last four generations, five at most, but the theme continues all the way back into eighteen hundreds and beyound.

my granddaughter is native american, spanish, love her dearly, will she love native american music, i don't know, will her father teach her spanish, i don't knw, will she in spirit be drawn to the spirit of her native american heritage, now that is an issue she will decide, or should be a decision she makes. if she takes an interest in wanting to speak spanish because of a feeling within herself , because of who she is, then let her do so, its her decision.

the afro american side of family, a biracial marraige, when such things were quite unacceptable in society.

what is my point, i beleive race would of made no difference in an issue of adoption as to opinions of the family. because it already wasn't an issue in the family itself.

theres only one heritage in fact tht got treated with complete indifference ,not by family, native american, they didn't have the right to claim themselves for who they are.

my comment, coming from a family that has what you describe occuring without adoption being a issue, yet there are adoptions, is enjoy the variety of culture, ethnic heritages, and the uniqueness of idenity of each of you. its priceless.

[Cupcake20]

I would like for us to speak on a more personal level (not too personal) because you and I are somewhat similar! I am also black and I want to adopt kids out of my race as well. I am currently an Accounting Major and I also am studying different languages and other cultuers so that I can teach my kids how to speak their language and about their culture! If you want to talk to me, my email address is sweetthumbelina19@excite.com!

[nskapk]

Adopting a child is not a game. These aren't puppies of different colors. Maybe you should grow up a little before you decide it would be 'neat' to adopt children of different races. It's great that you are color blind, but maybe give some thought to the child.

[guylainehb]

I too, am a student writing a thesis on Transracial Adoption (I have threads posted several places on this website regarding my study). Transracial DOES include non-White parents adopting outside of their ethnicity. It is not common, but it does happen. These families face many of the same issues as White parents adopting non-White kids. You must be prepared for the reactions you will get from others, and you must prepare the child for the racism that still exists in our society. Just taking the "color-blind" approach does not ultimately work for the children involved.

There is lots of literature out there - but it would have to flip-flopped, so to speak!

Good luck with the process!!

ghb - also an adoptive mom in a multiracial family.