In episode 218, we hear from lawyer and professor, Elizabeth Kirk. Elizabeth is the Director of the Center for Law and the Human Person, as well as a research associate at The Catholic University of America. Her work spans a variety of law in child welfare, parental rights, and adoption policy. In addition to her career, her lived experiences as an adoptee and an adoptive parent, give her a unique perspective and voice to speak into the conversation happening around adoption today. She talks with Brandon about the role that infant adoption could play following last year’s Dobbs decision at the Supreme Court, misconceptions around adoption, as well as insight on the decision making process for women that have an unplanned pregnancy.
- Elizabeth shares her background and what drew her into this work (5:20)
- The role of adoption in a post Roe vs. Wade world (13:00)
- Overviewing pro-choice arguments against adoption (14:52)
- A view of pregnancy that includes communities (18:20)
- Mothers and decision making in adoption (24:50)
- A global south perspective (27:20)
- Misconceptions concerning adoption (29:00)
- Elizabeth’s adoption experience and a story from a birth mother (35:20)
- Is adoption a viable option in a birth mother’s mind? (49:00)
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