Thread by @texasshawnalynn

Thread. #Adoption is a reproductive rights issue and here’s why…
Adoption is a multi billion dollar industry- an industry that influences adoption policy and practice. This is called the adoption industrial complex.

Another example of industrial complex is the Prison–Industrial Complex — Businesses access labor from prisoners that is cheaper than civilian labor, thus they profit from high incarceration rates.

Medical–Industrial Complex — Hospitals and pharmaceutical companies require patients to be sick, thus business interests are at odds with the goal of making people healthy. See where this is going?

For the adoption industry to sustain itself, it must maintain a supply of adoptable children. Supply and demand.
It is accurate to say the adoption industry not only profits from adoption- it profits from relinquishment. Now we’re getting closer to the reproductive rights issue

The adoption industry uses multi million dollar marketing to make relinquishment look like no big deal. Some marketing schemes even call it “brave love” . The adoption industry promotes relinquishment/adoption in schools, churches, medical facilities etc

Medical facilities -namely womens clinics where women who may be facing an unwanted pregnancy are seeking support and medical care including #abortion if they so choose. It is early in a pregnancy when the #adoption industry has a vested interest in a pregnant woman’s body.

She becomes a potential supplier. If this sounds predatory it’s because it is. Pregnant women are targeted by the #adoption industry.

To make matters worse, religious institutions - namely those that influence abortion politics - are in cahoots with many of these adoption agencies. They heavily promote #adoption as an alternative to abortion in their anti choice agenda.

Reminder : #abortion is a reproductive decision and #adoption is a parenting decision.

So now we have the state and church in addition to the #adoption industry working together to decrease abortion which will ultimately likely increase relinquishments thus increasing adoptions.
Supply and demand.

They all may have different goals, but the end result is the same. Pregnant women are the target. #Adoption proponents and profiteers are using adoption -as a “solution” - to deny women the right to choose and the right to bodily autonomy.

How is this not a reproductive rights issue? Do our rights end the moment we become pregnant?

Ultimately this has been a bipartisan failure by both parties to address the #adoption industrial complex and its devastating effects on women and #adoptees We continue to see adoption promoted through bipartisan legislative action (adoption incentives for adoptive parents)

No such support for pregnant women, many of whom would likely choose to parent their child if they had adequate support.
We are still punishing pregnant women in this country. Especially women of color and women without financial and emotional support.

I tweeted this thread because I see many “feminists” and liberals on the wrong side of this issue.
#Adoption is 100% a reproductive rights issue- the right for women to choose if, when, and how we become mothers without influence and interference from the state, church…

…And from the multi billion dollar #adoption industry. We should have the right to navigate pregnancy -and the sometimes excruciating decisions that come with it- without becoming prey.

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