Birthmother’s Day: Grief Takes A Holiday
Birthmother’s Day, the Saturday before Mother’s Day, is one of few occasions that recognize women who have surrendered their children for adoption. We are the outliers of motherhood. Created with good intentions, Birthmother’s Day segregates us as the “other” mothers, continuing a tradition of shame and stigma attached to adoption - for birth mothers and adoptees. It legitimizes shame while elevating adoptive mothers - the next day. Our society cannot seem to idealize mothers without disparaging birthmothers. Adoptees, under the guise of protection, suffer this bias through their mothers. Many adoptees still can’t get a copy of their original birth certificates in most states. (Imagine knowing there’s someone who looks like you - someone you’ll never meet.) Birth mothers are not always welcometo mingle with family members. After all, when I learned my birth daughter was about to be married, I wasn’t invited to the wedding. I didn’t flinch - I joked about creating the wedding