Café Inquiry (Online) – A Fresh Look at Adoption

This event is held online. (Click the button to join the Zoom meeting.)

Many people who want to restrict access to abortion support the idea that unwanted children can simply be adopted. But is this a benign solution to the issue of unwanted pregnancies?  It has been recognized that there are a number of problems that can arise in people who have been adopted, and the cause of these problems is not entirely clear. At the next Café Inquiry, we will discuss issues around the practice of adoption, looking at the experiences of adopters, adoptees, and the biological parents. If you’d like to explore this topic ahead of our meeting, here are some suggested readings and a video. This 13 minute “Flip the Script” video has adoptees talking about their own experiences of being adopted. You can explore the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Child Welfare Gateway page on adoption where there are links to a number of interesting articles. This very brief article discusses suicide risk in adoptees. This article discusses some reasons for the decline in international adoptions. This lengthy (25 pages) but fascinating New Yorker article provides a great exploration of the topic. If you can’t access the article, here is a PDF. Join us as we discuss this timely topic!

Café Inquiry starts with a short introduction of the day’s topic, followed by casual discussion.

This event is free and open to the public. Donations appreciated, but not expected.

Attendees are able to future propose topics which would align with Michigan Humanist’s purpose: from atheism, agnosticism, humanism, secularism, and freethinking to broader subjects in science and humanities, such as religion, philosophy, social issues, politics, evolution, morality, ethics, and psychology.

Café Inquiry (Grand Rapids) meets each month on the second and fourth Sunday.

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Michigan Humanists values the participation of all guests — requests for reasonable accommodation may be made by contacting the event host at least three days prior to the event.

Michigan Humanists expects all guests to engage in respectful discussion. Critiques on views and claims based on merit are allowed, but not attacks on individuals who hold other perspectives.

Any person engaging in disruptive behavior or harassment will be asked to leave, and may be banned from future events pending the severity of the action. Please speak to the event host or contact info@michiganhumanists.org if you feel these expectations are being violated.