Open Adoption and Transracial Adoption

Transracial adoption is the coming together of two different races in order to form a family. That is the basic definition, but there is so much more to a transracial adoption that can be opened up with an open adoption plan. It is the bringing together of two different worlds to make a whole new one. At Adoption Choices of Nevada, we want to help you if you have questions about transracial adoption. 

While it may not be a new concept, some people just don’t really know much about transracial adoption. For a long time, it was only really popular with those adopting from different countries. While may still be the case in some adoption journeys, transracial adoption is slowly starting to become more popular in domestic infant adoptions. In other words, more adoptive families are starting to become transracial, thanks to birth mothers who opted for it. 

But just what does it mean to have an open adoption and transracial adoption at the same time? 

What about the Different Cultures within Transracial Adoption?

At the end of the day, your child is always going to be carrying your culture with them. It is a part of who they are, even if they aren’t with you. They are going to have two cultures — yours and their adoptive parents. This can be really confusing later on in life. It can come down to: what is their identity and how do they fit in. 

With an open adoption, you have the chance to teach them about your culture. This, in turn, gives him or her the opportunity to learn about who they are as a person and where they come from. Adoptive parents may not have all the answers to the questions about your culture, ethnicity or race, which, in a closed adoption, could make it difficult to get the answers. In an open one, though, the line of communication is there and questions can be answered. It is what makes it possible to have a bicultural home. 

One amazing part of transracial adoption is that your child is more likely to be open-minded and accepting of new cultures they come across. Since there is no hiding the diversity, there has to be an open conversation about how people may not understand why he or she looks different from the adoptive parents. Typically, this means that he or she is going to be more understanding when it comes to meeting others, as they have a unique point of view.

What Kind of Support can the Adoptive Parents Give in a Transracial Adoption?

Sadly, it is likely that as your child grows, they will have some sort of confrontation with someone who doesn’t understand what a transracial or multiracial family is — much less an adoptive one. Not everyone is going to be accepting of the fact that transracial adoptions happen and are perfectly natural. Your birth child may run into questions like, “But what about your real mom and dad?” or “But you are different, how can you be their child?”. What you do have to do is trust that the adoptive parents have taught him or her that, no matter what people say, they are family. 

If you are worried about this, talk to the adoptive parents and ask them how they would handle a situation like this. Ask them about how they are going to tackle the questions of where the adoptee came from and if they feel comfortable getting you involved too. With an open adoption, you can be a part of these conversations. You may just have to ask first. It can be helpful for the adoptive parents to know more about your background and culture, and it can be a teaching moment, just like they can teach you about their culture. 

It is going to take teamwork to create an understanding of each other and how to best tackle the difficult points in life. However, it can be done through the open communication and willingness to learn about each other. 

Open Adoption and Transracial Adoption

Transracial adoption is becoming more popular for birth mothers to open up to. It is the chance to create a family with a diversity that is going to be unique to the family. One of the best parts is that there is open communication that allows both sides to learn from one another. Adoption is creating a family out of love, and that still holds true with transracial adoption. 

Adoption Choices of Nevada has been providing adoption and surrogacy services across Nevada since 2012. You can also 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) | 775-738-4673 (Elko) | 775-884-4673 (Carson City).

Meet the Author: Tia Kitchens is a college graduate with a B.S in Psychology from Capella University who has always had a passion for three things: animals, writing, and mac ‘n cheese. Two of these three are things she has based her work around. Animals are a big impact on her life due to her love for helping others through difficult situations. Through her studies, she has found the human-animal bond is strong enough to help others. This, paired with her writing, helps her record her findings and teach others through her words.

Her goal is to make a change in the world with her words and end up on someone’s inspiration Pinterest board! Being a key quote on someone’s Pinterest board it shows her words have a huge impact on people. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but if that picture is just words it surely means more that way! To learn more about her, follow her on Twitter and Instagram!