Fathers and the Forced Adoption Narrative
In a letter to the Guardian, Jane Lawson highlights a significant gap in the conversation about forced adoptions: the role of fathers. While much blame has been placed on institutions and mothers, fathers have largely been absent from the narrative.
Accountability for Fathers
Lawson notes that many fathers were married and their denials were believed. Others were frightened young men without the means to marry, and some were men in high office or priests whose transgressions were covered up. She calls for fathers to accept some accountability for what happened.
Shifting the Blame
Historically, women have been blamed for 'getting themselves pregnant,' shamed, and forced to give up their babies. Lawson argues that fathers have been removed from this blame narrative, and it is time to hear their stories and hold them responsible.
