that’s what SHE said: on chronos vs. kairos time, body image and fitspiration, adoptees as political pawns, black people in the hunger games, and the problem with tolerance
click on the title to read the whole post You Never Marry the Right Person | RELEVANT Magazine In generations past, there was far less talk about “compatibility” and finding the ideal soul-mate. Today we are looking for someone who accepts us as we are and fulfills our desires, and this creates an unrealistic set of expectations that frustrates both the searchers and the searched for. In John Tierney’s classic humor article “Picky, Picky, Picky” he tries nobly to get us to laugh at the . . .
what I want you to know: being an adopted child
What I Want You to Know is a series of reader submissions. It is an attempt to allow people to tell their personal stories, in the hopes of bringing greater compassion to the unique issues each of us face. If you would like to submit a story to this series, click here. This guest post is by Val. I was adopted right after I was born. My birth mother was young and decided she could not care for me, so I was brought to my family that I know now. I had a wonderful childhood, great parents, and . . .
adoption documentaries
If you are a part of the adoption triad, or in relationship with someone who is, there are several documentaries being shown on PBS this summer that might be of interest. You will have to check your local listiadng for the time and channel, but these are all a part of PBS's Point of View series. I'm thrilled that they are tackling adoption, and especially some of the more complex issues. Set your DVR! First Person Plural 8/10/2010 In 1966, Deann Borshay Liem was adopted by . . .
the feel-good adoption movie I don’t want to see
Lately I've been hearing a lot about the movie The Blind Side. It's coming out next month, and it's the story of a wealthy white family that adopts an African American teenager. Trailers are being passed around on adoption message boards, and many people have mentioned it to me, assuming I am excited about it, too.I'm really not thrilled about this movie, for a number of reasons. For full disclosure, probably the number one reason is that it just isn't the type of movie I usually enjoy. I'm not . . .
In their siblings’ voices
I really like reading about transracial adoption from the perspective of adult adoptees. Some of it is discouraging, and some of it is heartbreaking, but it always teaches me something. One of my favorite books on the subject is a collection of essays called In Their Own Voices:Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories. The editors of that book have just come out with a new voice, from the siblings' perspectives. I just ordered it and I can't wait to read it.I always wonder how it will effect . . .