Blog

NPRGate and the Adoption Triad

Last week NPR aired a story about transracial adoption and the Melissa Harris-Perry gaffe. NPR generated almost as much controversy for failing to include any transracially adopted adults in its segment as Ms. Harris-Perry did for offering up for moc… Read More
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Ethical Practices in Adoption

Prospective adoptive parents are frequently advised to choose agencies and lawyers that abide by ethical adoption practices. But what does that mean exactly? And what are the unethical practices you are being advised to avoid? The American Academy of… Read More
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Embryo Donation

A few weeks ago I was talking to a woman whose doctor suggested she pursue IVF. Because of her firmly-held religious beliefs, she had reservations about what she would do with any unused embryos. When her doctor assured her that any number of familie… Read More
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Why Utah Matters

“This one feels different,” was how Rachel Maddow summed up last week’s marriage-equality victory in Utah on her show, hours after the US District Court judge handed down his opinion. She and her guest, NYU law professor Kenji Yoshino, talked a… Read More
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Talking to Kids About Donor Conception

With the help of donor sperm, eggs, and embryos, families are able to have the baby they dreamed of. But do you tell your child about donor conception? And when do you do it? Since 2004, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (”ASRM”) has… Read More
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Language Matters - How Courts Talk about Children and Parents

I read a lot of court opinions, and, to be honest, they are usually kind of dull. Judges write in a very modulated style and are not known for dramatic flourishes. But recently I’ve come across two opinions that made me take notice – one because… Read More
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Stars are Just Like Us

When Jimmy Fallon announced the birth of his daughter Winnie last summer, speculation started immediately about how he and his wife Nancy Juvonen built their family. In the comments on web posts about their family there was a pitched battle between t… Read More
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Baby Care Classes for Pre-Adoptive and Expecting Intended Parents

When you’re knee deep in the adoption process or your surrogacy journey, it can be surprisingly easy to lose sight of the fact that at the end of process you really will be adding a new baby to your family. Some pre-adoptive and expecting inten… Read More
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Happy Thanksgiving!

Hand turkeys are one of the best things the world has ever known. My son Keith made one at school and impressed his teachers by telling them he was thankful “for the flowers.” Read More
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Are Second-Parent Adoptions Necessary?

The answer is decidedly YES. In New York state, a person is presumed to be the parent of any child born to or adopted by that person’s spouse. But that only truly works if the parents’ marriage is universally recognized in the US. But sam… Read More
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