We have all seen the jokes and memes depicting Angelina Jolie shopping around the world for her adopted children. Or maybe you have seen the countless others that humorously tell the story of how celebrities made it a trend to go to undeveloped countries to adopt children. In many ways this trend is to be applauded. They are giving needy children homes after all. However, there was a side effect that objectified children of these underdeveloped nations. The celebrity influence led to these children around the world being treated more like commodities instead of humans.
As the political cartoon shows above adopting “under-privileged black babies” became the new trend in the late 2000s and continues today. However, it is hard to judge whether this trend is necessarily good or bad. On one hand, these children who are in need of new families and homes are receiving exactly what they need. How could it be wrong to help a parentless child in need? On the other hand, there are children everywhere that need parents. With the trend being to get an exotic child, are people ignoring the children right in front of them for what is considered the popular thing to do? Both perspectives are very legitimate, however, I fear that when a parent is adopting based on trends set by celebrities that they do not truly have their hearts in the right place.
As the political cartoon shows above adopting “under-privileged black babies” became the new trend in the late 2000s and continues today. However, it is hard to judge whether this trend is necessarily good or bad. On one hand, these children who are in need of new families and homes are receiving exactly what they need. How could it be wrong to help a parentless child in need? On the other hand, there are children everywhere that need parents. With the trend being to get an exotic child, are people ignoring the children right in front of them for what is considered the popular thing to do? Both perspectives are very legitimate, however, I fear that when a parent is adopting based on trends set by celebrities that they do not truly have their hearts in the right place.