Letter: How I identified my 'true' parents
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Professor Barbara Tizard's letter (14 January) at last explodes the media myth that adopted children spend the better part of their adult lives searching for their 'true' (ie, biological) parents.
As the current furore over the family makes clear, parenting fails or succeeds not on the basis of a genetic link but on the quality of social contact established between youngsters and their guardians.
Those of us who are adopted are tired of the contrived 'reunions' (between folk who have never met) championed so often by the tabloids and by television. Such coverage not only sustains the myth that Professor Tizard identifies but is also likely to aid the destabilisation of those families on either side of the adoption process, who find themselves under pressure from all those forces that afflict families of every type.
Through the agency that processed my own adoption (some 30 years ago), I recently received an inquiry from my biological parents. In the same week, my adoptive father was admitted to hospital suffering from the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease. With no disrespect to those of whom I was born, I had no trouble identifying my 'true' parents. Professor Tizard's evidence suggests that I am not alone.
Yours faithfully,
TONY BRESLIN
Bushey,
Hertfordshire
14 January
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments