Dr Barbara Sumner
@drbarbarasumner.bsky.social
Adoption Deconstructed | critical analysis | research | reflection | reform | NZ | PhD
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
#adoptees
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
#adoptees
If you read this week’s column on the invisibility of adopted people in data, here's a handy chart drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/how-to-be-...
May 21, 2025 at 9:49 PM
If you read this week’s column on the invisibility of adopted people in data, here's a handy chart drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/how-to-be-...
A new column is up now on Substack. Free to subscribe. Paid subscribers also get all the footnotes and research. All subscribers receive the full article. drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/how-to-be-... 🥚
#adoption
p.s.I'm also trialling an audio version of the column, which is recorded in my wardrobe.
#adoption
p.s.I'm also trialling an audio version of the column, which is recorded in my wardrobe.
How to be Invisible
The high-stakes social experiment we call adoption.
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
May 20, 2025 at 3:07 AM
A new column is up now on Substack. Free to subscribe. Paid subscribers also get all the footnotes and research. All subscribers receive the full article. drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/how-to-be-... 🥚
#adoption
p.s.I'm also trialling an audio version of the column, which is recorded in my wardrobe.
#adoption
p.s.I'm also trialling an audio version of the column, which is recorded in my wardrobe.
Multiple layers of anger and aggression circulate within the adoptive family. 🥚
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
#adoptees
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
#adoptees
April 27, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Multiple layers of anger and aggression circulate within the adoptive family. 🥚
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
#adoptees
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
#adoptees
April 23, 2025 at 2:17 AM
"Conducting experimental studies on humans and exposing humans to the considered risk factor of maternal separation is not possible as it disagrees with the principles of research ethics.”
Unless you call it adoption.
#adoptees 🥚
Out now: drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/maternal-
Unless you call it adoption.
#adoptees 🥚
Out now: drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/maternal-
April 22, 2025 at 8:58 PM
"Conducting experimental studies on humans and exposing humans to the considered risk factor of maternal separation is not possible as it disagrees with the principles of research ethics.”
Unless you call it adoption.
#adoptees 🥚
Out now: drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/maternal-
Unless you call it adoption.
#adoptees 🥚
Out now: drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/maternal-
A short, extra essay on inheritance laws, adoption and the blended family. drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/the-illusi...
🥚 #adoptees
🥚 #adoptees
The Illusion of Kinship
No rights. No lineage. No return.
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
April 19, 2025 at 9:22 PM
A short, extra essay on inheritance laws, adoption and the blended family. drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/the-illusi...
🥚 #adoptees
🥚 #adoptees
An essay coming up on inheritance laws and adoption. Subscribe here to receive an email notification: drbarbarasumner.substack.com
#adoptees
🥚
#adoptees
🥚
April 18, 2025 at 6:27 AM
An essay coming up on inheritance laws and adoption. Subscribe here to receive an email notification: drbarbarasumner.substack.com
#adoptees
🥚
#adoptees
🥚
Now that's a tough question...
April 17, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Now that's a tough question...
The Darling Man Syndrome
open.substack.com/pub/drbarbar...
open.substack.com/pub/drbarbar...
Gill Roberts on Adoption Deconstructed
Bethany Grey Lynn - my mother cared for me for 10 days. She knew I had been 'allocated'. What that meant was at some stage she would come from the work room to feed me and I would be gone. Time and...
open.substack.com
April 16, 2025 at 1:02 AM
The Darling Man Syndrome
open.substack.com/pub/drbarbar...
open.substack.com/pub/drbarbar...
This is why I love writing for Substack. 🥚
#adoptees #fertilityjourney #fertilityawareness #family #parenting #adoption
drbarbarasumner.substack.com/.../the-darl....
#adoptees #fertilityjourney #fertilityawareness #family #parenting #adoption
drbarbarasumner.substack.com/.../the-darl....
April 15, 2025 at 1:52 AM
This is why I love writing for Substack. 🥚
#adoptees #fertilityjourney #fertilityawareness #family #parenting #adoption
drbarbarasumner.substack.com/.../the-darl....
#adoptees #fertilityjourney #fertilityawareness #family #parenting #adoption
drbarbarasumner.substack.com/.../the-darl....
The Unnatural Family
🥚
#adoptees
Why do we still think taking an unrelated child and pretending it is your own is the same as having your own? Why does society continue to act as if the adoptological family is synonymous with the biological?
🥚
#adoptees
Why do we still think taking an unrelated child and pretending it is your own is the same as having your own? Why does society continue to act as if the adoptological family is synonymous with the biological?
Kristina on Adoptology
This! This is what I keep trying to explain. It is NOT our fault they didn’t love us. In fact based on the psychology of the entire thing, it’s a miracle that more of us aren’t tortured and killed ...
open.substack.com
April 11, 2025 at 9:15 PM
The Unnatural Family
🥚
#adoptees
Why do we still think taking an unrelated child and pretending it is your own is the same as having your own? Why does society continue to act as if the adoptological family is synonymous with the biological?
🥚
#adoptees
Why do we still think taking an unrelated child and pretending it is your own is the same as having your own? Why does society continue to act as if the adoptological family is synonymous with the biological?
April 10, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Our oh so unnatural families. Always up for a chat about the structures, functions and purpose of human adoption. #adoptology #adoptees 🥚
The Unnatural Family
Why loving the unrelated child is framed as virtuous - and why that matters.
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
April 9, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Our oh so unnatural families. Always up for a chat about the structures, functions and purpose of human adoption. #adoptology #adoptees 🥚
I'm always keen to talk about adoption politics and policy. drbarbarasumner.substack.com
#adoption #adoptee #adoptiveparent
#adoption #adoptee #adoptiveparent
April 9, 2025 at 1:54 AM
I'm always keen to talk about adoption politics and policy. drbarbarasumner.substack.com
#adoption #adoptee #adoptiveparent
#adoption #adoptee #adoptiveparent
The Unnatural Family: why loving the unrelated child is framed as virtuous - and why that matters.
"She was living the contradiction, attempting to mother as if the child were her own while only distantly recognising that impossibility."
#adoption #adoptee #adopter
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
"She was living the contradiction, attempting to mother as if the child were her own while only distantly recognising that impossibility."
#adoption #adoptee #adopter
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
April 8, 2025 at 1:43 AM
The Unnatural Family: why loving the unrelated child is framed as virtuous - and why that matters.
"She was living the contradiction, attempting to mother as if the child were her own while only distantly recognising that impossibility."
#adoption #adoptee #adopter
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
"She was living the contradiction, attempting to mother as if the child were her own while only distantly recognising that impossibility."
#adoption #adoptee #adopter
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
Your [Un]Original Birth Certificate
My birth certificate is legal. It is also a lie.
drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/your-unori...
#adopteevoices #adoptionreform #adoptee
My birth certificate is legal. It is also a lie.
drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/your-unori...
#adopteevoices #adoptionreform #adoptee
Your [Un]Original Birth Certificate
The Act that came with a single promise - an original birth certificate
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
April 6, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Your [Un]Original Birth Certificate
My birth certificate is legal. It is also a lie.
drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/your-unori...
#adopteevoices #adoptionreform #adoptee
My birth certificate is legal. It is also a lie.
drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/your-unori...
#adopteevoices #adoptionreform #adoptee
Hi, I'm new to Bluesky, and excited about the possibilities. I write a weekly column called Adoptology. I dig into the structures, functions and purpose of adoption in society.
Ask my anything about adoption.
Does contact equal openness?
#adoptee
drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/what-about...
Ask my anything about adoption.
Does contact equal openness?
#adoptee
drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/what-about...
What About Open Adoption?
Is it the answer to closed stranger adoption?
drbarbarasumner.substack.com
April 6, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Hi, I'm new to Bluesky, and excited about the possibilities. I write a weekly column called Adoptology. I dig into the structures, functions and purpose of adoption in society.
Ask my anything about adoption.
Does contact equal openness?
#adoptee
drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/what-about...
Ask my anything about adoption.
Does contact equal openness?
#adoptee
drbarbarasumner.substack.com/p/what-about...