What's the Big Deal About Birth Certificates? with Ann Weaver-Melendy - Ep 77

Unraveling Adoption

In this week's Safe Home Podcast, Beth talks with Ann Weaver Melendy from Oregon, a baby scoop era adoptee who was taught by her adoptive family to not speak about her adoption and to not ask questions. Well that backfired big time, because not only is she now sharing her story on this public podcast and elsewhere, but she is also an adoptee rights advocate. Ann is particularly bothered that adoptees' vital records often don't include the true data about their birthdate, birth parents, and more. She has fought for her own birth certificate to list the correct information - and she won! Her ingenious approach to adoptees' rights will inspire other adoptees to fight for their own corrected documents.

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RESOURCES:

Ann's information:

• Ann's bipartisan bill SB573 going through the Oregon legislature in 2023, sponsored by Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin [D] and Sen. Brian Boquist [R] (The public is welcome to comment on the bill at this link): https://legiscan.com/OR/bill/SB573/2023?fbclid=IwAR2Z_8_LD_BgX2-8qx12haoASLXUzMNN7UC5E1OSR7ViX1CH8QAQwvCUrQ0
• KATU news segment video with Ann and her dad after their reunion: https://katu.com/news/local/salem-woman-finds-father-through-dna-test
• Find Ann on Facebook as Ann Weaver Melendy. If writing a note to her on Facebook Messenger, make sure ADOPTION Is the first word.

Other Resources:

• Other Parents Like Me - https://www.facebook.com/other.parents.like.me
• Heather Ross - Life Coaching for Parents of Addicted Teens: https://heatherrosscoaching.com/
• Find a Tele-Therapist: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/online-counseling

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Unraveling Adoption is produced and hosted by Beth Syverson

Music written and performed by Joseph Nakao

Email questions or comments to [email protected]

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Support Unraveling Adoption on Patreon: Patreon.com/UnravelingAdoption

www.UnravelingAdoption.com

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TIME STAMPS:

1:30 Ann's childhood and basic adoption story

2:46 When's her birthday? A complicated question!

5:55 Why her birth certificate lists the wrong birth date

9:07 Meeting her birth father

14:14 Synchronicities of genetics

15:25 Original Birth Certificate (OBC) and other types of birth certificates

19:24 Birth certificate as receipt

22:56 How the LGBTQ+ community benefited Ann and other adoptees in Oregon with the tri-party adoption bill

29:13 How Ann's new bill differs from the tri-party adoption law

31:14 Why is it so important for adoptees to have the correct information on their birth certificate?

33:00 Is Ann available to help other adoptees navigate vital records?