New York Adoptee Right Coalition members and friends, press conference, April 30, 2019
Monday (April 30) the New York House Health Committee voted A5497/S3419, the Weprin/Montgomery bill, out of committee with a Do Pass recommendation 21-3 with two absences. The bill has over 100 sponsors with more signing on weekly. This is a huge first step in the decades-long campaign to restore OBC rights in New York. The bill now goes to Codes.
The hearing was attended by members and friends of New York Adoptee Rights Coalition (NYARC), Bastard Nation, the American Adoption Congress, and New York Unsealed Initiative. Annette O’Connell, spokesperson for NYARC reports that “our legislators gave moving and personal speeches as did our fellow advocates and supporters.”
Following the vote, A2725 sponsor David Weprin held a press conference to discuss the bill,
Assb, David Weprin at press conference
Our state remains behind in granting what is a human and civil right; the right of adopted individuals to their original birth certificate, medical history and identities. Under current law, children born in New York State who are then adopted lose access to any form of their original birth certificate and with that, also lose any connection to their family history, medical background, and sense of self. This does not make much sense at all and New York’s adoptees cannot afford to wait much longer for this basic right. It’s time to make it right and pass the clean bill of adoptee rights.
A video of the presser taken from Rep, Assb. Weprin’s FB page is here. Supportive organizations issued our own press releases as well. Bastard Nation’s is here.
Bastard Nation thanks NYARC, Assb. Weprin, Sen, Montgomery. House and Senate aides and staffers, everyone who was able to attend the hearing, those who have personally contacted legislators in Albany, and those many friends who have called and written lawmakers. Supporters include: New York Adoptee Rights Coalition, (Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Bastard Nation Reclaim the Records), American Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, American Adoption Congress, AMT-Children of Hope Foundation, National Center for Adoption and Permanency Permanency North American Council on Adoptable Children, Philomena Project, Unsealed Initiative Adoptee Rights
I pray Everyday, that this curse bestowed on me, will never carry over into my future generations. I am 71 years old.I choose not to die, never knowing my “true self”. But, it may happen, as time is running out. My soul will leave someday in pieces, as it never was whole here on earth. New York, please open the records, do not let my future generations carry this burden. Do not punish them for a grandmother, great grandmother, grandfather, great grandfather who fell in love many years ago in 1947. and, society made them pay the ultimate price!
New York Adoptee Rights Coalition, along with the Adoptee Rights Law Center and the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York. Plus strategic partner Reclaim the Records
Proud TXARC Partner
Bastard Nation is a proud partner in the Texas Adoptee Rights Coalition, along with Gladney Adoptees for Rights and Equality, Texas Coalition for Adoption Reform and Education (TxCARE), and the American Adoption Congress. Plus strategic partners Adoptee Rights Law Center and Abrazo Adoption Associates.
Bastard Nation Comprehensive Policy Paper on Legalized Baby Abandonment: Baby Drop Boxes
Our new comprehensive statement on Baby Drop Boxes and their negative impact on Class Bastard, adoption, child welfare--- and our rights---is now published. Please read it. Baby Boxes are a New Wave of the future and must be stopped. They are coming to your state and you need to be prepared.
Your one-stop shopping for everything Bastard. Our latest Bastard Nation swag, including t-shirts, jewelry cards, and gee-gaws at the Bastard Boutique. Quantities are limited! -- CLICK THE PIC!
Reading Room
Visit our refurbished and expanded Bastard Nation Reading Room and become a Well-Read Bastard. Start with The Bastard Chronicles: 20 Years of Adoptee Equality Activism in the U.S.and the Birth of a Bastard Nation, compiled and edited by Marla Paul. The Bastard Chronicles is a primer for adoptee equality. Print edition available in the Bastard Boutique and on Amazon. (also available on Kindle).
Bastard Beanies!
Bastard Beanies are in the Boutique! BN’s very own Addie Recoy of Addie Recoy Designs created patches for our Bastard Beanies! As always, BN is an all-volunteer organization that relies on donations and purchases of Swag to fund our Who’s Next? Fund. There’s going to be some important legislation happening with the New Year, so please think about us at giving time!..
Bastard Nation is a proud member of the Texas Adoptee Rights Coalition
TXARC: Bastard Nation. Equality for Adoptees, GLARE (Gladney Adoptees for Rights and Equality), Adoptee Rights Law Center
This summer we are updating our membership/donation page and payment process. If you would like to join or donate, please hit the spermie. It will take you to our Bastard Boutique page. Follow instructions from there. Be sure to include a quick note with your contact information and anything else you'd like us us know..
Become a Bastard Nation Legislative Liaison!
Bastard Nation needs Legislative Liaisons in every state with laws that seal adoption records. We need eyes and ears in the legislatures, creating relationships and gathering information.
What does a BN Legislative Liaison do? They talk with lawmakers and their staff about adoptee rights and the laws that seal records. They distribute Bastard Nation position papers and FAQs to legislators and staff members. They record their conversations and report to the BN Legislative Committee.
They are organized, informed, friendly, helpful, and engaged.
What do you need to do to be a BN Legislative Liaison?
1. You need to live close to the capitol of your state.
2. You need to be able to appear friendly, even when talking with people who disagree with you or are just disagreeable, period.
3. You need to have a flexible schedule.
4. You need to agree with Bastard Nation’s mission: If you don’t know what that is, go to bastardnation.org, it’s right there on our welcome page.
Those are the prerequisites. If you are interested, click the picture of the capitol rotunda, and fill out the application form. We will be in touch and schedule an online orientation and training.
We look forward to working with you!
Videos and films by, for, and about Bastard Nation, our mission, and members
Join us on the Official Bastard Nation Facebook page. The only "adoption" page on Facebook dedicated to discussion and promotion of adoptee autonomy, civil rights, bastard theory, political organizing, and activism. You can also sign up there for our BN mail list which includes all of our Action Alerts. This is not a search and support page. No Woundies need apply! (Page live on July 1, 2015)
FACEBOOK SOCIAL BN PAGE
Join the Bastard Nation Public Page, a public service for Bastard Nationals, friends and supporters. General discussion on adoptee rights and related issues.
TWITTER
Join us on Twitter. All the Bastardly news fit to tweet!
PINTEREST
Join us on Pinterest. Bastard icons, images, members, actions, politics, and fun. And Christopher Walken!
New York Adoptee Rights Coalition
I pray Everyday, that this curse bestowed on me, will never carry over into my future generations. I am 71 years old.I choose not to die, never knowing my “true self”. But, it may happen, as time is running out. My soul will leave someday in pieces, as it never was whole here on earth. New York, please open the records, do not let my future generations carry this burden. Do not punish them for a grandmother, great grandmother, grandfather, great grandfather who fell in love many years ago in 1947. and, society made them pay the ultimate price!