' [Birth Mother] First Mother Forum: Images from Bastard Fest in Louisville

Monday, July 26, 2010

Images from Bastard Fest in Louisville

The pictures say all. From the adoptee rights demonstration yesterday in Louisville at the national conference of state legislatures, taken by Laura Barnes-Marsden. Approximately 70 people took part.
  Not-just-a-birth-mother Claudia above, who writes a great blog, Musings of the Lame, and organizer adoptee and activist Jeff Hancock below. Bravo!





 
Laura Barnes-Marsden, who took the photos (except the one of her, that was shot by Liz Watson Fort)...these are cribbed from her Facebook page and I hope she doesn't mind because I can't reach her as she is driving home today. If you missed yesterday's  post about the inevitable curiosity about one's true heritage, here's the link:

What's in a Name? A Great Deal to an Adoptee 

--lorraine

14 comments :

  1. Question - What does Claudia's shirt say? I think that what I can see is pretty cool.

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  2. Cat here - thanks for the photos.

    I asked Jeff to add me to his list of names.

    Thanks for all those who went to raise awareness of this.

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  3. Bravo!! Thanks to all of you who went to Louisville and represented the rest of us so well!

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  4. I love my beautiful bastard and natural mother friends!!!!

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  5. Well done all, great to see the photos.

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  6. all you can see on that shirt is crackwhore and birthmother. from a distance, you wouldn't see any other words. why would this be pretty cool?

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  7. The t-shirt says: So not a crackwhore, not just a birth mother...and I read the read at Facebook but can not find the working right now. Anybody volunteer to finish the words?

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  8. Trouble is, unless people are eagle-eyed or just happen to be moseying about nearby, it's the classic thought-terminating cliché 'crackwhore birthmother' that communicates itself.

    Which is more than enough to stop a lot of people from getting up-close and personal enough to read the small print and 'get' the message.

    Personally I'd prefer not to see the two words emblazoned on the same bazoom.
    JMO of course.

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  9. Crackwhore Birthmother tee shirt is ok as an in-joke at a meeting, not ok at a public demonstration for adoptee rights. No matter what the fine print says.

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  10. Sorry guys.. It's my shirt on my body and I get to decide what I want to wear as a message. You don't have to agree and you don't have to wear it, but I can make that statement if I choose to.

    I can tell you form wearing the shirt many times at confernces and adoption events, that the "Crackwhore Birthmother" part DOES get folks attention and they DO come in to see what the rest of it says:

    Front: So not a CRACKWHORE, Not just a BIRTHMOTHER, not a family building angel, nor a saint,nor a selfless strong girl either
    back; "Just a MOTHER missing her CHILD.. adoption separates mothers and children.. no one would choose an eternity of this"

    You can see it best here: http://www.cafepress.com/AdoptionTruths.80813799#

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  11. Personally, I love the t-shirt...and the message and can see that it would encourage conversation. and I'd wear it proudly at any demonstration.

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  12. My feeling is tee shirt slogans should never be more than 4 words, no matter what the subject:-) This sounds more like a sandwich board, even if the sentiment is heartfelt.

    To me it seems more like a conversation stopper, like right to life signs that say "abortion is murder" or Tea Party signs about the president being another Hitler. What does one say to someone wearing one of those?

    Not my taste, But I guess everyone can make and wear their own shirt.

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  13. I am so not going to comment again on the literary T-shirt, except to say that of course anyone can wear what they want, just as anyone can comment on their choice. That's why the JMO.

    I thought the demo looked very professional. It is obvious that a lot work went into the organization, and I know it will have a strong and positive ripple effect that will promote the fight for OBCs for all.
    Bravo to everyone who contributed.

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