Introduction
What is the difference between “undocumented adoptee” and “adoptee without citizenship” and what kind of message(s) does each title send?
“Undocumented adoptee” sends the connotation of a “bad immigrant” while “adoptee without citizenship” more so conveys the message of someone who is “good immigrant” or that they are entitled to citizenship.
Adoptive families often aspire to gain legitimacy and legibility in American society and be considered heteronormative. However, these families are nonnormative due to the lack of biological ties and their multiracialism. How does the opposite nature of expectations versus reality impact the lives of adoptive families and adoptees in particular?
The extreme difference between expectations and reality can lead to racial blindness and transculturalization. The adoptees only know white American culture and will struggle with their cultural identity as they enter adulthood. Adoptees feel out of place in their adoptive families and could be seen as killjoys if they question their parents and their culture.
In what ways might an adoptee be “twice exiled” or feel that they don’t belong in either America or Korea?
White Americans didn’t consider adoptees fully America/white based on appearance and Koreans only viewed adoptees as only having a Korean appearance.
How can the non-citizenship of adoptees further deepen the sentiment of non-belonging held by many adopted Korean-Americans? Where does the irony lie in adoptees not having citizenship?
Adoptees already have a poor sense of belonging, and not having citizenship would only contribute to that further due to a country legally not considering them as part of itself. The irony lies in the fact that adoptees were basically raised and “reborn” as Americans by forgetting all about Korea and adopting American culture and customs in their stead, whereby they become Americans similar to how a baby is born in the US and granted citizenship.
Is it possible for adoptive parents to effectively raise their adopted children in both American and Korean cultures? What are the limitations or advantages parents have to teaching either culture and children have to learn them?
No, the adoptive parents did not grow up in Korea and are accustomed to American culture, so it is extremely difficult for them to properly teach their children Korean customs, language, and how to fit in with other Koreans. At the same time, while the children are raised in the U.S. and their parents teach them to live in American society, many feel like outsiders and might never feel fully accepted in the U.S.
Could Korean adoptees form a sense of internal racism? How could this be present in their lives?
Yes, they may judge their appearance and try to live up to American standards to evade the Asian stereotypes
No they appreciate their own culture more
The article uses the phrase “melancholic subjects in search for wholeness” as a possible description adoptees may hold, what do you believe counters this interpretation? Or how is this description accurate?
Counter: Searching for a concrete self-definition is a sign of understanding oneself not so much based on wholeness as it is based on improving personal understanding (trips to Korea to better understand where the adoptee originated from-culture wise but won’t force it to become their home…acknowledges they are foreigners of their own birthplace)
Agreement: In order to move on in their lives, they need closure and feel that this can be achieved by filling the gap of not growing up with their biological parents through exploring Korean tradition/food/language
Impersonation is another topic the author discusses. Are the adoptees learning to adapt to their new lives or are they mimicking their adoptive families as a means to survive? Could impersonation be avoided?
Adapting: its a new environment and by such they need to learn the norms of their new lives in order to become somebody in a world they are unfamiliar with
Survival: if they grew up in adoption centers that told them to act a certain way to be more desirable then they may be conditioned to behave as such on instinct
No or yes impersonation can be avoided
What is the difference between the happy, grateful adoptee, the killjoy adoptee, and the every adoptee? How do these stereotypes affect Korean adoptees in America?
Happy, grateful adoptee: labeled as well-adjusted; accept the narrative of adoption being the best option and rescuing them
Killjoy adoptee: fail to follow the “adoption fantasy”; scrutinize narratives advertised by orphanages and adoption agencies to convey the benefits of adoption; advocate for stricter adoption regulations
Every adoptee: opposite of killjoy; compliant and do not challenge adoption practices; do not engage with activist adoptees; can openly talk about going back to South Korea and reuniting with their biological families since they do not oppose the system of adoption, unlike killjoy adoptees; favored by mainstream society
These stereotypes attempt to put adoptees in boxes and prevent them from speaking out depending on how society will react.