
Modern-Day Adoption: Improvement and Long-Term Effects of Stigmatization
By Anna Keller
If you’re looking into adoption in Las Vegas, then you may be curious as to what the process looks like now. Many people have an outdated perception of the adoption process. Stigmas from 20 years ago have carried into today’s interpretation of adoption and incidentally interfered in many women’s decisions to go through with it. As a result, many women harbor unnecessary fears about adoption and are unable to objectively view it as an option. Here is why you should attempt to lift this metaphorical fog and see adoption for what it truly is.
First of all, before we get into the comparisons of then versus now, let’s take a look at the basics. Your local adoption agency will have a myriad of unwanted pregnancy options for you to choose from. For instance, Adoption Choices of Nevada provides a unique experience because they are a nonprofit organization specializing in services that meet your exact needs. For example, they offer one-on-one counseling that can soothe some of your completely natural adoption anxieties. Your counselor, along with other representatives in the agency, can help you come up with your adoption plan. Facing an unplanned pregnancy does not have to be something you do alone. Adoption agencies in Las Vegas like this one are oriented toward helping you find an appropriate family for your child.
Opportunities Social Media Provides in Modern-Day Adoption
Tangentially, adoption in Nevada has changed drastically over the past several decades. Giving a child up for adoption has never been, nor ever will be, positively regarded by everyone. There will always be a small snippet of individuals who stigmatize the idea and villainize pregnant women who do this. Firstly, let’s dissect the language itself. Although the phrase itself contains the words ‘giving up,’ you are not actually ‘giving up.’ You are instead providing an opportunity for your child to grow and flourish in an environment you would not have been able to provide otherwise. While this may initially seem discouraging, it is important to remember that by adopting out your baby, you are being brave.
Furthermore, your unwanted pregnancy options have vastly expanded over time. One modern advantage is our ability to harness social media and use it as a tool to find prospective families or agencies. This avenue creates a previously uninhabited space for inclusion and diversity in the adoption world. In congruence with this, you can channel fundraising opportunities through social media, whereas twenty years ago, you were barricaded to in-person methods only.
Slow Eroding of Cultural and Racial Discrimination Resulting in More Adoption Options
Not to mention, the conversation about racial acceptance has improved drastically over the past several decades. This improvement has yielded a more positive and inclusive space for adoptive families. Resultantly, families of different racial backgrounds all have the same opportunity for a child, as opposed to being restricted to only children of one skin color. Digging deeper, the continued broaching of this difficult topic has made it easier for prospective families to put themselves out there. Increased tolerance of different cultures has expanded the pool of potential adoptive families for birth mothers.
Whether you are in Vegas or another city in Nevada, adopting out your baby in today’s society has plenty of positives. Aside from virtual counseling for birth mothers who are unable to meet in person, you can also receive financial assistance. You may be eligible for coverage of certain things such as doctor’s appointments, housing, and other medical care. The good thing about using a private agency such as Adoption Choices of Nevada is that your needs are prioritized. Furthermore, as a result of adoption becoming more widely accepted, more families are looking to adopt. Conclusively, your pool of potential adoptive families becomes that much larger.
Why Modern-Day Adoption is Not a Bad Choice
Although many still stigmatize adoption to an arguably unhealthy extent, it has become more accepted. There are still steps that need to be taken to reach a space of wider inclusivity, but we are getting there. Once birth mothers have a space where they can feel comfortable expressing their emotions, namely their support network gained through the agency, they become more confident.
It is important to consider that not all birth mothers will feel comfortable with adoption immediately, largely due to the stigmatization. For the precise reason, that adoption is labeled cheaply as ‘second best’ that birth mothers often turn away from it. It is our responsibility as a society to shatter the illusion that adoption is simply a ‘last resort’ or an ‘unlucky outcome.’ It is so much more than that.
Adoption is the willingness to provide a child with a stable and loving home. And on the other side of it, adopting out a baby is the willingness to go through a tremendous amount of pain just to bid your own child farewell. It will not be easy, but the choice you make for your baby will yield a permanently positive outcome.
Adoption Choices of Nevada has been providing adoption and surrogacy services across Nevada since 2012. You can call us to speak to someone now. Contact Us 24/7: 855-940-4673 (Toll-Free) | 702-474-4673 (Las Vegas) | 775-825-4673 (Reno) | 775-884-4673 (Carson City).