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The Space Between
Spits of rain pierce dappled sun under the tall pines. A white marquee, a podium, three huge black rocks wrapped with a very long yellow ribbon, a pack of media, a crowd of mostly women, milling, meeting old friends being introduced to others. A day that had been waited for… Grundy Gardens is behind Adelaide’s […]
Melinda Rackham
September 2, 2016
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Removing Anonymity Does Not Reduce Donor Numbers
Sperm donation in Australia was once shrouded in secrecy and donors were forced to be anonymous, even if they did not want to. After learning some of the lessons from adoption, as well as listening to the voices of the donor conceived, practice and policy regarding donor conception began to change. No longer would donors […]
Damian Adams
July 17, 2016
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A Conversation with Gary Coles about Forgotten Fathers
Gary, you are the father of a son who was relinquished for adoption shortly after his birth in 1967. During your life you have written extensively about the invisibility of fathers in adoption. You are also a campaigner for fathers’ rights. On Tuesday 28 June 2016 SBS ONE TV will go to air with an […]
Thomas Graham
June 19, 2016
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Reconnecting Heartlines to Bloodlines
Heartlines – The Year I Met My Other Mother is a new memoir exploring the adoption legacy of Robin and Susannah, mother and daughter separated at birth – at Robin’s choosing – who meet again half a century later – at Susannah’s choosing. Their reunion occurring fairly recently, and rapidly, once locating each other in […]
Thomas Graham
June 18, 2016
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Reflecting on Adoption – Interview with Sofie Gregory about short film Loss and Connection
I spoke to Sofie Gregory about her adoption experience and the short film, Loss and Connection she was involved with late last year. Readers should watch the nine minute film first as the interview relates to the content of the short film. Sofie you are an adopted person from the closed adoption era. Dealing with loss […]
Thomas Graham
May 5, 2016
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In Conversation with Margaret Watson about her book Surviving Secrets
It’s several years since your memoir Surviving Secrets was published and I reviewed it for the Australian Journal of Adoption. How has your life been in the intervening years since the book went to print? Thank you for that review Thomas and your support for my memoir. It is coming up to 7 years since […]
Thomas Graham
April 22, 2016
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Adoption Revivialists – Recreating a Shameful Past?
Adoption is often seen as the panacea for social ills. For much of the latter half of the 20th Century adoption was used to forcibly remove children from young mothers to shield society from the shame of having children out of wedlock. The mothers, fathers and their children often deserted in their time of greatest […]
Thomas Graham
April 7, 2016
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Coming of Age
‘What if abandoning a child was the greatest act of love this world has ever known?’ This statement was made by Victor Alexeyev, one of five young adult adopted people, who spoke at the Coming of Age session at the Redefining Family conference in Auckland. Victor, along with Alex Gilbert, Alexander Kuch, Katya Murray and Voichita […]
Thomas Graham
March 18, 2016
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National Apology for Forced Adoption
National Apology for Forced Adoptions The third anniversary of the National Apology for Forced Adoption is fast approaching. It was delivered by former Prime Minister Julia Gilliard in the Great Hall of the Australian Parliament on 21 March 2013. The ornate parchment in guilded, coloured and black calligraphy sits inside Parliament House alongside the National Apologies for […]
Thomas Graham
March 11, 2016
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When Adoption is Forever
Adoption is forever. Over the decades there have been few days when I haven’t thought about my adoption and its impact on my life. Adoption stays with you always. Consequently, you do need to make provision for it, make sense of it, or find peace with it, otherwise it is likely to prod, nag, itch, […]
Thomas Graham
March 11, 2016