Adoption is such a big topic, but it’s not really talked about. You probably didn’t notice, but I am adopted. I look just like everyone else, so how would anyone know?  You may not know it, but many people like me are different. We all know the basic concept of adoption, right? Someone is given up as a baby, and then adopted by a family to be theirs.

In particular, a large amount of babies are adopted from China. In 1979, the One-Child Policy was implemented throughout China. The Chinese government felt China’s population was too large and was growing too rapidly, so they attempted to regulate how many children were being born. Many were forced to hide their children from the government. If people were caught trying to hide them, they were severely punished. They could lose their jobs, be fined, or be forced to have an abortion. Even though many talk about how adoption is a good thing, they’re not sure about what happens to the families that lose their child.

Adoption, in general, is a good thing. It gives children a good life with people who want them, but the reality is that their birth parents also love them and would have wanted them if not for the One-Child Policy. Before this policy, children were usually given up for adoption when the parents couldn’t afford to take care of them. But after the One-Child Policy, many of us had to accept the fact that we were given up.

It affects how we live life. When you are adopted, it is normal to think and view things from a different perspective than others, and to us, our differences are quite apparent. Although the impact differs from one person to another, it certainly does have a permanent place in our minds. We often hear others talk about how specific genes were passed on throughout their families from generation to generation. We can’t do that. The often obvious physical differences between us and our families forces us to confront the fact they we don’t share genes with our parents, which furthers our belief that we are different.

Only recently in 2015 was the One Child-Policy abolished. Only three years have passed since this abolishment, so one can only imagine how many were affected by the policy while it was in place.

Ultimately, there are two stances to take on adoption. On one hand, many parents are forced to give up their child. On the other hand, many  who wouldn’t be able to conceive a child of their own or would just prefer to adopt are able to adopt a child who will provide unimaginable happiness. So is adoption a good thing, even though it tears children from their birth parents, if it gives others a family?