SAY “PLACE FOR ADOPTION” OR “MAKE AN ADOPTION PLAN”
DON’T SAY “GIVE UP FOR ADOPTION” OR “SURRENDER FOR ADOPTION”
Why? There’s a negative connotation when you say “give up” or “surrender.” Birth parents DID NOT give up when they lovingly placed their child for adoption.
SAY BIOLOGICAL PARENTS, BIRTH PARENTS, BIRTH MOM, BIRTH DAD
DON’T SAY “REAL PARENTS” OR “REAL MOM OR DAD”
Why? Just because adoptive parents haven’t given birth to a child, doesn’t make them any less of a parent. They are the real deal.
SAY “WAS ADOPTED”
DON’T SAY “IS ADOPTED”
Why? “Was adopted” indicates that adoption is part of a child’s life events whereas “is adopted” implies that it defines a child’s identity and is ongoing.
SAY “MY CHILD” OR “YOUR CHILD”
DON’T SAY “MY ADOPTED CHILD” OR “YOUR ADOPTED CHILD”
Why? Using “adopted” to refer to children may denote that there is something qualitatively different with a child who has been adopted as opposed to a biological child.
Adapted from www.bravelove.org