When Eric James and his partner, Zerxes Spencer, decided to adopt last year, they signed on with Adoptions Together, a reputable agency close to their home in Maryland. They attended the agency’s seminars to learn about the process, met other “waiting parents” and formed personal bonds with the staff. But there was just one problem.
“When we entered the pool, we were looking at generally a two- to three-year wait,” says James. “And about six months in they reached out to let us know the wait actually would be probably much longer than that.”
Why? He was told that many pregnant women are bypassing agencies and seeking prospective parents across the country through the Internet.
In fact, a new study that’s among the first of its kind finds that the Internet is transforming adoption by opening up the way would-be parents and birth mothers find each other. Some welcome the shift, although the report also suggests it raises ethical concerns.
James’ predicament shows how even people who don’t intend to can find themselves using the Internet for adoption. To speed up their search, his agency advised him and Spencer to get online. Read full article.
