A Tragedy All Round,

[emmie]

this is an appalling story, and one that should be out in the open, upwards of 250 thousand women over three decades forced to give up their babies, because they were born out of wedlock. I watched the news on BBC, where i couldn't find a link but the Guardian has run it.


https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/may/26/hundreds-uk-women-demand-formal-apology-forced-adoptions?via=webuproar

[AuntPollyGrey]

They had a choice -well three actually. Not to have sex before wedlock ( or be careful), marry the 'father' or give up the baby. Many of these babies that were sent for adoption probably had much better lives with their adoptive family than if they had stayed with an unmarried mother .

[bhg481]

Why are these women blaming the government and asking for an apology from them. It was the girls' parents who made their daughters give their children for adoption to avoid being shamed. It was not compulsory to give away the babies; a couple of my friends got their girlfriend pregnant, married them and kept the baby.

[AuntPollyGrey]

Yes there was also the choice to keep the baby if your family was willing -some parents even brought the children up as their own, and the poor child thought its mother was actually its sister.

[Sqad]

///and the poor child thought its mother was actually its sister./////

That is what happened to me and what is this "poor child" scenario, I considered my upbringing to be strict but loving.
When you are eventually told the score, then you just get on with life.
Simple concept really.

[emmie]

these babies were taken away from the mothers, after often terrible treatment from nurses, care workers, and parents, it was shameful t that time, i can't imagine what it would be like to have your child taken but its time someone whether its the government of the day says sorry. Thank goodness we have moved on since these backward times.

[ToraToraTora]

I don't see what anyone has to apologise for.

[ladybirder]

Anyone remember the film Cathy Come Home?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-51100189

[emmie]

many of these were very young women, often ostracised by their parents, it was shaming on them.

[emmie]

yes i remember Cathy come home, terrible story.

[emmie]

so you don't think this a tragedy, that could have been avoided. the girls were always blamed, never seemingly the boys/men - Australia has a similar story, which i was reading earlier.

[bednobs]

most of the homes were run by the church both catholic and c of e. both of those institutions have already apologised

[emmie]

many of them weren't though, it was times that shunned women who had a child out of wedlock.

[emmie]

is no one surprised, shocked by the amount, because i am.

[Sqad]

Confused.
The 40's and 50's it was an era where being pregnant out of marriage was a social stigma, accepted as the normal by society but "accidents" did happen. However one couldn't become pregnant without sexual intercourse.
How is that the fault of the Government ?

[emmie]

i didn't say it was their fault, and these occurred over 50 60 70's. apparently.

[Ken4155]

I would have thought the apologies ought to have come from their parents, Emmie. The church definitely played a large part in this but i don't believe the state did.

[Mamyalynne]

The 'blame' if any is far wider than Government - it was a societal issue across the board.

The Church has made a small effort in apologizing not sure if the Government actually have the need to do the same.

[Sqad]

Well it wasn't the fault ofthe Government then why should the Government apologise?

[emmie]

the testimony that i was watching on the BBC, had many women saying they felt cheated - especially one lady who never had other children. Those who were also adopted didn't feel right in many cases.

[ummmm]

Some of them didn't know their baby would be taken away.