I Am Who????

Years ago, 66, to be exact, my parents were driving around Kansas City looking at all the darling little babies suspended in trees waiting to be adopted. "Look at that little girl," my soon to be mother said.
"Oh, she has pretty curly hair," responded my soon to be daddy.
"Let's take her," said my mother!

Well, that's how I went from being Kathleen Kelley, born at the Fairmont Maternity Home in Kansas City, Missouri on May 4, 1942, to Lindsay Bachelor, new daughter of Albert Benton and Florence Beckstead Bachelor of Belleville, Kansas.

At two weeks old, I was taken to my new home and my life as I know it now began. Of course, I know who I have become, and I rather like that person, but the State of Missouri, in all their infinite wisdom, says I cannot learn who I WAS! Now, isn't that silly?

Since 1999 I have been instrumental in having legislation presented to the Missouri Legislature which would allow all adult adoptees the right to request and receive, in the same manner as non adopted adults, their original birth certificates. With the help of others who joined me in Missouri Open and Missouri Adult Adoptees Rights Coalition, we are still trying to get this legislation passed! Of course we run into the same old excuse, "birth mothers were promised confidentiality," and the bill seems to die either in committee or on the floor, providing it ever makes it that far. We will once again present our bill in 2009, and we hope it will finally be passed and sent to the Governor for signature.

Of course their excuse of confidentiality is bogus, as no where in any adoption papers does that exist. In fact, the current Missouri Statutes say that the records can be opened for good cause. It's just there doesn't seem to be any "good" cause, including severe medical problems such as cancer, where family medical history is desperately needed.

In another statute it states that "an adopted person, regardless of age, is considered a child." Now, I ask you, at 66 years old, do you really think I'm still a child? I still would have to petition the Juvenile Court for access to my own birth certificate. As an adopted adult, I can vote, I can drive, I can be a member of the military, I can drink, BUT I cannot have my original birth certificate. Sounds really silly, doesn't it?