I know that would be totally wrong, but I’m tired of being treated like a second class citizen. Us birthmothers (and I use that word lightly, I am a mother and always will be) are people too. Please treat us with the respect and dignity we deserve as such.

Adoptive moms don’t want or need to pretend we’ve created and gestated, as our part in bringing kids into our families has required efforts of a different kind that we can also be proud of, and we can relish our role. To indicate otherwise diminishes us, as well, and harkens back to the days of secrecy and lies and lifelong games of ‘let’s pretend’. We are better than that.

At the same time, it denies kids their heritage and attempts to blur lines that they’re entitled to have well-defined.

Also adoption really isn’t something for trendy fashion statements.

I have seen another shirt geared to adoptive moms that said “Paper Pregnant”.
That did not seem to offend me in the way this does, I thought because it implies that you are “Pregnant” with the paperwork, but now I am having pause to consider it too again.
This shirt however hit me right away as very insensitive.

Another excellent post from you though Jenna.

What you said in the following nailed it:

I find it unfortunate that, again, one mother has to be diminished for another to be exalted. I’m really lost as to why we can’t all accept that we need each other in various ways.

Amen to that, Jenna. Amen!