The Korean War Baby was given this link from his friend Frank Pittser His Reunion story, and HE was truly pleased to see a young, bright, Korean Adoptee, who is documenting her own journey of self-discovery of ‘Who am I’. Her insights and understanding are quite profound and indicative of her generation of adoptees who are reaching adulthood and sorting out just who they are, both inside and out, physical and mental. In her videos on on her blog are fresh, simple and very REAL. Stephanie was a communications major in Depaul University, with minors in Asian-American studies and Women's Studies. Stephanie recently went back to Korea in July 2008, visited her adoption agency, met her Foster Mother, and began the first steps on Searching for Birth family. YouTube - stephxhoney's Channel
Her first Video before going back to Korea. She is just starting to think about her Koreanness, facing the fear of her own Adoptive family who are worried about her wanting to go back to her birth family. These are common concerns and issues that must/should be discussed with our Adoptive Family.
Yet, the inner need to KNOW about our past is so strong, once we who were adopted, step into the emotional minefield of Searching. For some we suppressed feelings because we did not want to upset our Adoptive Family. Have some tissues ready…In This Thing of Ours-Adoption we touch areas that have been dormant for many years.
This is one of her first videos of July 11, 2008: Trip to Korea.
The Korean War Baby has contacted Stephanie to ask for a special Guest Post on his humble blog. (He might ask for some pointers on making videos, since he just recently figured out how to backlink, hyperlink, and NOW EMBED Video!! Old guy adoptees CAN learn somethings.) Recent November 11, 2009: Stupid Adoption Questions!!!
Go check out her vids, blog, oh and ask her to be a Facebook friend. One hates to put labels on people but the KWB thinks this is a well balanced Korean Adoptee who will help many others on their own Journey of Self-Discovery. You Go, Korean-American girl!!! The KWB salutes you.
U.S. Marine Corps (pronounced “Core” not corpse Mr. President!)
The KWB points to this report from May of 08 with a focus on TransRacial adoption in the USA. It can also apply, according to their experts, to TranRacial InterCountry Adoptions. For those who ‘want it all for research’ look here for “Finding Families for African-American Children”: Evan B. Donaldson's Adoption Institute The KWB wishes to note these sections:
Finding Families for African-American Children
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Many children adopted in this country come from social, economic, racial and cultural backgrounds that differ from those of their new parents. Transracial adoption – defined as occurring when a child’s race/ethnicity is different from that of both parents when a couple adopts, or from that of a single parent when only one adopts – adds an additional layer of complexity to the issues faced by many adoptive families. While transracial adoptions can provide much-needed homes for boys and girls who may not otherwise have them, it is important to address the potential challenges in this growing practice in order to best serve everyone involved, especially the children.
At the federal level, three laws apply:
International adoptions into the U.S. are governed by an international treaty, the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, and the U.S. legislation to implement the Hague Convention, the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000. The State Department issued implementing regulations that address children’s racial and ethnic needs, requiring that prospective parents receive training related to transracial adoption, as well as counseling related to the child’s cultural, racial, religious, ethnic, and linguistic background. The Convention took effect in the U.S. in April 2008.
Adoption of Native American children is governed by the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA), which was enacted after decades of child-welfare practices that included removing large numbers of children from reservations and sending them to institutions or non-Indian homes. ICWA sought to protect the best interests of Indian children and to promote the stability and security of Indian tribes and families by keeping children with families of their own ethnic heritage and through continued involvement with their tribes.
Adoption of children from foster care (other than Native Americans) is subject to the Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994 (MEPA), which:
1) prohibits the delay or denial of a child’s foster or adoptive placement solely on the basis of race, color, or national origin;
2) requires that state agencies make diligent efforts to recruit foster and adoptive parents who represent the racial and ethnic backgrounds of children in foster care.
In 1996, MEPA was amended by the Removal of Barriers to Interethnic Adoption Provisions (IEP), which deleted the word “solely” from MEPA’s prohibition against delaying or denying an adoptive placement on the basis of race. IEP prohibits agencies receiving federal funding from considering race in decisions on foster or adoptive placements, except in exceptional circumstances.
PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
Research on transracial adoption has progressed over the past 35 years in methodological rigor and complexity. Overall, the current body of research on this issue supports three key conclusions:
1. Transracial adoption in itself does not produce psychological or social maladjustment problems in children.
2. Transracially adopted children and their families face a range of challenges, and the manner in which parents handle them facilitates or hinders children’s development. 3. Children in foster care come to adoption with many risk factors that pose challenges for healthy development. For these children, research points to the importance of adoptive placements with families who can address their individual issues and maximize their opportunity to develop to their fullest potential. WELL, sorry for shouting but HEY! Look at these finding!! Transracial adoption in itself does not produce psychological or social maladjustment problems in children. Good Lord, does this mean that Korean adoptees, like half-breed and full-blood Korean Adoptee MAY NOT ALL BE messed up in the head or Social misfits? We face a range of challenges but according to this study, many KAD may actually be NORMAL. What happened to the ‘poor things’ that were adopted into ‘rich white families’? You know the ones who were kidnapped, stolen, and sold to greedy INFERTILE couples. Hmmm, according to This link
The Gathering of the First Generation
of Adult Korean Adoptees:
“Excuuuuse ME” for shouting, but only 13% of adoptees from Korea were only Children. Possibly to Infertile Parents. Then 26% were adopted and had biological sibling who were children of Adoptive Parents. AND a whopping 52% had other ADOPTED Korean Siblings, Plus 7% Domestically plus 3% ICA adopted (Not Korean) 52 + 7 + 3 = 62% of the 400 participants of the 1st Gathering had OTHER ADOPTED SIBLINGS!!!
************************************************
DOES ANYONE SEE WHY THE KOREAN WAR BABY IS SHOUTING? This survey of the 400 participants of the 1st Gathering is quite enlightening.
Some people wrongly think that Infertile Couples are the only ones Adopting Korean Adoptees. Some use language that suggest that they believe that ICA adoptees are going to families who CAN’T have children.
WRONG! Not accurate at all. Seek the truth from many sources, the KWB asks "Please if you have a link to documents that show that MOST InterCountry Adoptions go to ‘greedy rich white privileged Infertile(?) Adoptive Parents’, then"-
SHOW US FACTS or stop whining!! Enough with misinformation and outright lies!
In response to the excellent and insightful ponderings of a respected fellow blogger Girl 4708-Kyopo blog
January 25, 2010 “In a discussion about the white privilege of international adopters with another adoptee who can pass as white, I was asked if this applied to adopting Korean-Americans. I would say resoundingly yes. Those Korean-Americans and adoptees adopting are adopting out of white privilege. Why am I in so much trouble here in Korea? Because of my white privilege, because I didn’t know enough about what it means to be Korean. I am a banana here. (yellow on the outside, white on the inside) Once upon a time, I was a rotten apple. But today I am a banana, thanks to being raised white.” The KWB wonders if ‘white privilege’ applies in the situation of Full-blooded Korean Adoptees.White privilege-Wikipedia It is the Outward appearance of ‘looking Asian’ of the Yellow Race but having a Western or White Caucasian Mindset that makes a Banana. Thinking White doth not make one Appear White. White Privilege indeed does NOT to apply inHapa/ Mixed-blood/ OR with Mixed-Racial adoptees. Perhaps with those who like the KWB are mistaken to be white, such as some ‘gens de coleur’ or people of color that James Michener writes about in “Caribbean”. This article neither white nor black.Their racially mixed brothers and sisters appeared on all Caribbean islands and always faced the same impediments, promises, In describing the racial mix of Haiti in the late 1700s, Author James Michener writes the following narrative in his classic magnum opus on the West Indies, the novel `Caribbean´: “ caught in the middle between the two extremely grinding stones of white plantation owner and black slave writhed a considerable mass of citizens who werehopes, and crushing disadvantages.In those other colonies they might be called mulattoes, coloureds, half breeds, half-castes, creoles, or bastards, but in St. Domingue all those terms were avoided, especially mulatto, which was deemed to have a pejorative ring. Here they were called gens de couleur, or in English, people of colour, or simply free coloureds.
Despised by whites, who saw them as parvenus, striving to climb up to a level which they were not entitled, and hated by blacks who saw them as constituting a middle layer which would forever prevent the slaves from attaining power, the free coloured were spurned from above and below.”
The KWB agrees also with the author’s point about “save a child”-No one should adopt for that reason. But it is NOT that it is a ‘privilege’ or related to the whiteness on the Outside, rather it is the Inside of the “Banana” the Cultural Mindset of the individual. White Privilege comes ONLY to those who are Outwardly White looking.
This is “Passing for White” is evident in the KWB own experience in teaching at many different venues in Korea over the past 14 years. Sometimes he was instructed to NOT mentioned that he was a HonHyulAh, a person of part-Koreanness. Why? He would ask. “Oh, it is because the students will reject you. After you have taught them for several times then you can tell them. Sorry, many Koreans feel White people are better.” Girl 4708 was introduced to this as well when meeting the KWB’s boss, who explained in a very delicate manner the realities of “teaching English in a White preferred” Korean environment.
The Barbadoes Mulatto Girl, an engraving published at London in 1779, after a c. 1764 painting by Agostino Brunias TIK-This is Korea and the Korean War Baby has experienced this many many times. At a certain Cultural Center that he has taught at for 29 sessions, each one of 12 weeks duration, he tells the class after three weeks about being…drum roll please…some of them only, ‘their worst nightmare’. LOL, hey, he just had to SUCK IT UP, put it out of his mind and laugh it off, as TIK.Korean student’s worst nightmare “WHAT!! You Ain’t WHITE? A HonHyulah?!” Every time, several women would never come back, but the last laugh was with the KWB- for the ajummas could not get back their payment for the class!!! Yes, he should feel bad…but the KWB just laughs. (He probably is committing a sin but hope God will forgive him a few more and just add them to his very long list). *Note: the KWB uses colorfulfonts to HIGHLIGHT certain terms, in a tongue in cheek manner, not for proper design or purpose. Remember all his words meaningless words are in BROWN.
The Korean War Baby was contacted recently by this group that have been around for many years. Full of articles, links, stories of famous and not famous persons of Mixed-Race Koreans. HalfKorean.com - An online community for mixed-race Koreans Hurrah, for all of us Tuigi 튀기 a Korean word that means literally “child of a foreign devil” and nowadays the Politically Correct term is HonHyolAh (혼혈아) which is translated as “mixed-blood”.
*Note: the pictures are from a Korean website with google translation, remember that the terms are from direct translation and does not represent the KWB terminology but only the Korean, Real Korean way of putting the different types of Mixed-Bloods.
Left top to right →: Moon Bloodgood,
Soe Ru,
Amanda Seuteu Raeng,
(bottom Row)
Ur Shula Mays, Kristin Kreuk
White - Half Asian (Korea and other Asian) Moon Bloodgood (Actor), born in 1975. Korean mother - an American (white) half-breed father, former U.S. Forces Korea Soeru (Singer), born in 1982. Japanese father - Japanese / Irish mother, half-breed Amanda seuteuraeng (Model), born in 1980. Chinese mother - his father a half-breed French Ur Shula Mace (Model), born in 1979. Korean mother - German-American (white) half-breed father, former U.S. Forces Korea Kristin Kreuk (Actor), born in 1982. father is Dutch – mother is Chinese
Left top to right→: Daniel Henney, Denis Eu Gang, Denis Eu Oh,
(bottom row L to R)
Ricky Kim, Keanu Reeves
Daniel Henney (Actor) born in 1979. Korean mother - an American (white) father
Denis Eu Kang (Rugby), born in 1977. Korean father - French (white) mother, half-breed
Dennis Eu Oh (Actor), born in 1981. Korean mother - an American (white) half-breed father, former U.S. Forces Korea
Ricky Kim (Actor), born in 1981. Korean mother - an American (white) father racial
Keanu Reeves (Actor) born in 1964. China / Hawaii biracial father - a British mother, half-breed
*Note translation is exactly Literally “Half-breed” but don’t hold it against them, word is HonHyulAh (혼혈아)
Yes throughout his life, the KWB felt like he had a Split-Personality. A Japanese pastor Joe Ozawa once called out to him, “Are you the one who is kinda, sorta, Asian?” EVERYONE in the church laughed since most of them knew him, he maintained his composure and did NOT go ballistic with rage as was his usual practice…but deep inside he was in turmoil with conflicting emotions. The KWB stood up and when the laughter finally died down, told him, “Yes, I am Half-Korean, my mother is Korean…don't know about my father. I was born during the Korean War and adopted to the US.”
The pastor then told him. “All your life you have lived with being a ‘divided person’, you’ve been divided since the day you were born, despised from birth by your mother’s people and unaccepted by your father’s countrymen. Your mind has been divided, between good and evil, hate and love, torn between two cultures, you have searched desperately for love and acceptance.
But today the Lord is healing you of your Dividedness! You will no longer be a man divided, you will be whole and complete, you are one, says the Lord. You are NO longer a child of the devil- YOU are a Son of the Living GOD. You will no longer walk in shame but proudly as His child…And the Lord is telling me that He has healed your mother, of the shame and guilt that she has lived with all these years. Today the Lord sets you free from your dividedness…”
WELL, the KWB does not understand what happened and luckily it was recorded on tape and given to him later to ponder on. He was overcome with emotions that he had never felt so powerfully. But from that day forward he has felt change, from the defiance and anger about being a Half-Breed he began to see himself in a new way, taking pride in himself. You might think that he is always talking about his being a Half-breed in a negative way, but that is part of the ‘tongue in cheek’, ‘in your face’ style that he is attempting as a comic relief. He is proud of every part of his Ethnic and Adoptive Identities.
Left top to right →: Amerie, Crystal Kay, kimora simmons,
(Bottom L to R)
Tomika Scarborough Nezu,
Howell Dempeuseu,
Hines Ward
Amerie (singer), born in 1980. Korean mother - American (black) father racial Crystal Kay (Singer) Born in 1986. Korean mother - American (black) father mixed race. Kimora Lee Simmons (the model). Born in 1975. Korea / Japan biracial mother - American (black) father Tomika Scarborough Nezu (model). Born in 1978. Korean mother - American (black) father Will dempeuseu (football player). Born in 1979. Korean mother - American (black) father Hines Ward (football player), born in 1976. Korean mother - American (black) father
My blog Sister, Jae Arias, the ‘Voice of the Adoptees’ a domestic adoptee of Multi-Ethnic heritage and who inspired the KWB to ‘get real and be Down with the truth’.Check out this Spoken Artist who speaks from her heart ***************************************************************** One thing the KWB has discovered is that all people of mixed-blood have similar experiences, even those who have natural parents of a Multi-Ethnic marriage. In a way, many immigrants like the 1.5 or 2nd generation of Korean Immigrants also face a Split-Personality. The KWB thinks that many Korean Adoptees also face this dividedness, you know the “Banana or Twinkie” “yellow on the outside, white on the inside”. Truth is that being Korean is more than just the blood quantum factor (hey google that one), being considered by many with diverse definitions of what a REAL Korean is, can be vastly different even over here in the motherland.
The Korean War Baby has discarded the title given to him by some prejudicial Koreans, Tuigi or HonHyolAh. For he has become aware that he is also now an adopted child of God. He stands proudly and proclaims his Koreanness because every cell of his (now way too fat, LOL) body has the genetic ‘blueprint’ of his BOTH his Korean mother and American father. We each have the ‘blueprint’ of each of our biological parents, and their parents and on and generation after generation.
It is amazing some the things genealogists are learning about our origins, as Man. Since breaking the Human Genome in 2003 genetic scientists have discovered haplogroups/types/subtypes/ in the man’s “y” Chromosome and the Mito-Chondrial DNA within every cell of our bodies. They believe that there were two original humans, ‘Adam’ and ‘Eve’, a “y” ChromosomeAdam and a MitochondrialEve that all mankind is descended from some 60,000 or 70,000 years ago.
Way too much science for the KWB to understand! OH, another wonderful site on the subject…HalfKorean.com If you are Half-Korean or Half-anything go to their site and check out other LINKS for sites listed, for research or just plain finding yourself.
The Korean War Baby salutes all those with part Korean, whole Korean, or even if you like Korean food/culture. Let us celebrate our heritage and discover every part of Who we are.
“Who we are” is not just the genetic parts, nor the nationalities of our parents, someone said it best, “the Sum is greater than the Parts added together?” Never was good at mathematics (Low grade on Geomatrics no, Geothermal, NO, oh, Geometry, lost him college entrance and Uncle Sam sent him a birthday card, a draft notice-this led him to join the Marines).The KWB would be hopeless without Spell Checker and Google. Don’t know what to do about his memory…he get up, goes to the kitchen and forgets what he went there for, Aaiigoo.
Yes, we are unique individuals. There is only ONE of Me (and my sister would say, ‘thank the Lord for that!’) Make the best of who you are, find yourself, in all the madness of life, hopefully you will find peace and love. Keep striving forward on you own journey of Self-Discovery. Good luck, and God Bless in the coming of the Year of the Tiger.
Recommended: EthnoScopes: Tracks of an Anthropologist
Last year the KWB attended an ASK (Adoptee Solidarity Korea ASK) symposium “Alternatives to Adoption” in May, 2009. The organizations that were invited are working toward making real change in Korean society…addressing the root causes that force many young women to give up their children. For more on the symposium go to ASK and look around.
It was here that the KWB met an American woman, invited professor of Foreign Language Studies at Korea University, (a real teacher) Cheryl Magnant. Prof. Magnant has started a blog and her insight from the perspective of a Westerner who strives to understand culture and customs of countries she has visited is both entertaining and educational. The KWB wishes he could write as well. Here is just a sampling of her writing:
TuiGi or 튀기- Korean people called me a "Child of a devil" but I am now a Child of God
The KWB was born during the Korean War and given up for adoption by his Korean Mother. He and his sister were in the first early flights to the land of our American father. After service in Vietnam, a career in B-movies, in 1995 he arrived in Seoul. Since then, he has been teaching English and helping Korean people to understand about This Thing of Ours-Adoption. It is his hope to help change Korean people's attitudes concerning Adoptees and Adoption with more openness and acceptance, for all it's Domestic AND Overseas adoptee children.
Overseas adoptees had both Trans-Racial and Cultural challenges, and some of our lives have been confusing and difficult, some have adjusted quite well. There are a myriad stories from terrible to wonderful.
In Korea we lived, when millions were aborted, a 'perfect solution' to unwanted pregnancy or sex selection. Abortion continues to be used as a contraception option. The KWB believes in a woman knowing ALL options before she makes her final Choice, as she will personally live with it all her life.
In 2007, Unwed single women gave birth to 7,774 children. KWDI reports estimated 31.7% of women kept 2,464children. For 2,296 children were sadly relinquished by their mothers for adoption, evenly split Half domestic/ half InterCountry. 2464 + 2246 + 3014 = 7774
What of the 3,014 remaining? They are 'Unknown' but it is assumed that they are CIVIL ADOPTIONS, that are not in government figures! Estimates are that 95% of Domestic Adoptions are SECRETLY done. This is monstrously wrong, talk about Human Rights for the Child, this is absolutely hideous and does not acknowledge the primal wounds of separation that all adopted children go through.
Unwed Mothers face rejection from Family, Society, and minimum financial support from the government. Most Koreans will only adopt 'blood relations'. Domestic Adoptees number over 87,000 (NOT counting Private Civil adoptions which could exceed all estimates)- yet 95% are NOT told that they were adopted due to the shame of adoption. This ought NOT to be. The KWB declares war on this crap, on these Inconvenient Truths held by his mother's people.
After 5 months the remaining children plusSpecial Needs children are processed for Inter-Country Adoptions. We see some promising changes coming in Adoption Law Revision (Which will NOT effect CIVIL ADOPTIONS). Changing Laws does not change Hearts of the people. This is "What it IS", plain and simple facts. Everyday in 2007, these numbers: Twenty (21) children were born alive Daily, but 4,000 aborted EVERYDAY.........Inconvenient truth? Damn Right! LUCKY to be born alive.
The KWB does not have all the answers. Some will argue extreme positions that make NO SENSE. Extreme and irrational views must be balanced with realities. Let us reason and work together to find a Balanced Multi-level solution.
We are the Korean Adoptee Diaspora (Scattered). Most of us long to discover our roots and Self-Identity. All Korean Adoptees, even our secretly adopted Domestic brethren, all need to find out "Who am I".
We ALL suffered personal loss, abandonment, and separation at different ages. Most have found loving families, though a some have faced further loss from life's many situations. A few have suffered abuse, wrongful separation from birth family. We must all be open to each other, hear all sides, find better ways to prevent possible abuses, most of all to find personal Self-Identity.
The journey of Self-Identity is difficult, emotional, stressful, and some may never find all the "answers". We who were Adopted must walk our own paths and sharing our stories can help all members of "This Thing of Ours-Adoption".
Beyond Culture Camp
Nov. 2009 Report is must read for all in This Thing of Ours-Adoption
Korean Adoptee, who is documenting her own journey of self-discovery of ‘Who am I’. Her insights and understanding are quite profound and indicative of her generation of adoptees who are reaching adulthood and sorting out just who they are, both inside and out, physical and mental. In her videos on on her blog are fresh, simple and very REAL. Stephanie was a communications major in Depaul University, with minors in Asian-American studies and Women's Studies. Stephanie recently went back to Korea in July 2008, visited her adoption agency, met her Foster Mother, and began the first steps on Searching for Birth family.
She is just starting to think about her Koreanness, facing the fear of her own Adoptive family who are worried about her wanting to go back to her birth family. These are common concerns and issues that must/should be discussed with our Adoptive Family.
She is just starting to think about her Koreanness, facing the fear of her own Adoptive family who are worried about her wanting to go back to her birth family. These are common concerns and issues that must/should be discussed with our Adoptive Family.
