On my last day writing about the positives of blogging as a birth parent, I am going to talk about one of the most important aspects: fostering change. Healing is very important. Learning is vitally important. But change is needed and being able to spearhead and foster that change is a great feeling!

Whether you've had a good experience with your relinquishment or an awful one, chances are that you realize that certain things need to be changed. Whether you agree with the majority of birth parents regarding the fact that adoptees have a right to their Original Birth Certificates, you can be a catalyst for that change (or lack of change) by blogging. If you don't agree with that (placing you in the minority of birth parents), blogging about the reasons you want to stay anonymous is one of the only ways your voice is going to be heard on this topic. Those who are fighting for adoptees' rights are already blogging, loudly and frequently, in support of their relinquished children.

Other topics of change that birth parent bloggers are covering include the need for reform regarding the way expectant parents are treated by agencies, facilitators and attorneys. Things like unbiased, third party counseling and the right to separate legal counsel are points that are frequently made by birth parents who have been there and done that. Some strong birth parents are actively working (and writing) about their work with hospitals to educate staff (nurses, doctors) on how to treat birth parents (and adoptive parents) when a child is born to a mother considering relinquishment.

I could go on for days. The issues are many and the bloggers are covering them well. Perhaps you want other birth parents to avoid an unethical agency. Perhaps you want birth parents to consider fighting for adoptees' rights. Perhaps you just simply want to break the accepted stereotypes of birth parents by writing about your experiences. (Yes, that last point is a way of fostering change. Simply existing on the blogosphere is fostering change!) I'll talk tomorrow about some ways that I've fostered change but let me reassure you that simply sharing your experience is enough to help change things. You can get actively involved in some other much-needed change but if you're not the type, that's okay. Just sharing your words is enough.

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For more on bloggers and blogging, read these posts.




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