Bastard Nation: the Adoptee Rights Organization
PO Box 4607
New Windsor, New York 12553-7845
614-795-6819
bastards.org astards3 @gmail.com @BastardsUnite
TO: Senator David D Rowley, Senator Janet Peterson, Senator Annette Sweeney
FROM Marley Greiner, Executive Chair
Date: February 13, 2023
RE: Support for SF187 addition of bio parent to adoptee original birth certificate
Bastard Nation: the Adoptee Rights Organization is the largest adoptee civil rights organization in the United States. We support only full unrestricted access for all adopted persons to their original birth certificates (OBC) and related documents.
We are absolutely delighted to endorse SF187 and its companion HF60. This bill allows an Iowa-born adopted person,age 18 and over, who has received their Original Birth Certificate to amend that document by adding a “missing parent” (usually the father) to that document. This would be accomplished through presentation of a sworn affidavit to the State Registrar from the biological parent along with “substantiating evidence” that they are the parent of the adoptee. If the parent is deceased, an affidavit from a personal representative or trustee of the parent is required.
At least once a week I hear either in personal correspondence with adoptees or on social media how they are disappointed and frustrated that their “missing parent”—termed a ‘legal stranger” by law– who is neither missing or a stranger at all, cannot be designated legally on their OBC.
This bill simply allows for a correction/amendment to a state-generated document. It should not be controversial.
Thank you!
Bastard Nation is dedicated to the recognition of the full human and civil rights of adult adoptees. Toward that end, we advocate the opening to adoptees, upon request at age of majority, of those government documents which pertain to the adopter’s historical, genetic, and legal identity, including the unaltered original birth certificate and adoption decree. Bastard Nation asserts that it is the right of people everywhere to have their official original birth records unaltered and free from falsification, and that the adoptive status of any person should not prohibit him or her from choosing to exercise that right. We have reclaimed the badge of bastardy placed on us by those who would attempt to shame us; we see nothing shameful in having been born out of wedlock or in being adopted. Bastard Nation does not support mandated mutual consent registries or intermediary systems in place of unconditional open records, nor any other system that is less than access on demand to the adult adoptee, without condition, and without qualification.
