Tag: California

Featured

Jean Uhrich, January 23, 1957 – June 17, 2025. A Memorial and Memoir

January 21, 2026

As I said, Jean Uhrich was a force of nature. Maddeningly so. She could be opinionated en extremis. There were times when I wanted to scream “just shut up,” but didn’t. And, she could be kind and generous. She loved Bastards and loved the fight. She stood for something. Jean’s work will not go to waste. One of these days California WILL fall. Jean was a warrior. She stood on the shoulders of Bastard Elders and others will stand on her shoulders. Jean will be missed. Is missed.

Share This!
Continue reading
News

California SB381: Letter of Support

January 7, 2026

There is no state interest in keeping original birth certificates sealed from adult adoptees to whom they pertain nor does the state have a right or duty to mediate and oversee the personal relationships of adults. The debate on the release of OBCs to its adopted citizens is small v large government issue. Small government should win this one.

Share This!
Continue reading
News

California SB313–Birthright Citizenship–Bastard Nation Letter of Support

April 24, 2025

We are concerned with the citizenship rights, privileges, and protections for all Americans. As an advocate for the civil rights of both domestically and internationally adopted people in the US, however, and with knowledge of the historically poor treatment adopted people are subjected legally on state and federal levels, our letter/testimony focuses the legal citizenship and identity challenges we have faced for decades. We believe that SB313 addresses at least one challenge in the State of California. We hope that this bill will encourage other states to follow California’s lead…

Share This!
Continue reading
News

California AB1302: Bastard Nation Letter of Opposition to House Health Committee

April 18, 2023

AB1302 is clearly adopteephobic, discriminatory, and frankly bigoted– and it clearly was written with no adoptee input. It has no support from any adoptee rights, adoption reform, or child welfare organization in the country. If this bill were about any other marginalized group and written without any input from them–African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, women, queers, trans, Jews, Muslims, disabled, it would never see the light of day.

Share This!
Continue reading
Legislation, News

California AB1302: 2nd Bastard Nation Letter of Opposition

March 20, 2023

I really have no idea what the purpose of this bill is or why it has been brought forward, but it is clearly adopteephobic, discriminatory, and frankly bigoted– and it clearly was written with no adoptee input. It has no support from any adoptee rights, adoption reform, or child welfare organization in the country. If this bill were about any other marginalized group and written without any input from them–African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, women, queers, trans, Jews, Muslims, disabled, it would never see the light of day.

Share This!
Continue reading
Legislation, News

California AB1302: Already restrictive adds more restrictions and massive burreaucracy. Act Now!

March 18, 2023

In other words, in order to protect the “privacy” (don’t they mean anonymity?)  of biological parents from their own offspring, the State of California, upon receipt of an adoptee request for their OBC, would send to the parents at “the best available address” a  Registered or Certified letter with restricted receipt requiring a signature, enclosing a notice of the request and a birthparent permission slip. A “reminder notice” will be sent 150 days later, if the original letter generates no response.

Share This!
Continue reading
Legislation, News

California AB1302. Bastard Nation Letter of Opposition. Reactionary and Old School

March 15, 2023

The California House Judiciary Committee is set to hold a hearing on AB1302 on March 21.. This is a terrible reactionary bill,that includes biological parent redactions and maintains a complicated court procedure to obtain OBCs. California is the crown jewel. Passage of this bill would not only mean a defeat for the adopted people and the adoptee rights movement but probably make access worse in the state than it is now. It would be impossible to revisit for years.

Share This!
Continue reading
Share This!