Post-Interview Thoughts
Thoughts Overall​
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Through my interviews, I’ve uncovered a range of unique and personal experiences related to China's One-Child Policy. While many people are familiar with the basic premise of the policy—that it was implemented to control population growth—few understand the deeper socio-economic and cultural consequences. Some individuals are more familiar with its impacts on adoption, while others focus on the broader implications for society.
In the interviews, the negative effects of the policy were most evident. These included the destruction of families, the preference for sons rooted in Confucian beliefs, and the gender imbalance that resulted from the abandonment and adoption of many female babies. These effects led to significant societal challenges, including a disproportionate sex ratio and an overwhelming number of children being left in orphanages.
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Despite these hardships, the policy also sparked positive outcomes that resonated around the world through personal decisions. For instance, my own adoption story, and those of other adoptees I interviewed, have created a ripple effect. Through my adoption, Mrs. Dawn and Mr. Frank were inspired to adopt their children from China, and Sophie’s story led her cousins to adopt as well. The policy, despite its tragic consequences, ultimately allowed children a second chance at life in loving homes, and provided adoptive families with the opportunity to embrace children in need.
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As an adoptee, I, along with the others I spoke with, am grateful for the opportunities we were given after being abandoned. The lives we live today—lives filled with experiences we might not have had in China—are a direct result of this policy. Gratitude is a sentiment many of us share, though it’s often tempered with other emotions such as grief, sadness, and even indifference due to the complex history and context of the policy.
​Thoughts on Being a Chinese Adoptee
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Despite the positive opportunities we’ve had, being abandoned and then adopted into a new culture has left behind a sense of loss and displacement. Sophie, Zoe, Hannah, and I all share a common experience of struggling with identity conflict. We know we are Chinese, but many of us have never felt as connected to our heritage culture as we expected, especially when comparing ourselves to other Asian American peers.
This sense of cultural disconnect was heightened by growing up around others who did not physically resembled us, leading to some confusion about who we are and where we come from. Who are our biological parents? Are there others out there related to us? What happened to our biological families? Why were we abandoned? These questions fuel an emotional journey of curiosity and grief for many adoptees.
Thoughts on the End of the One-Child Policy
The end of the One-Child Policy in 2015 and the closure of international adoptions from China raise crucial questions about the future of children still in orphanages. These orphanages, which once partially relied on adoption fees for funds, now face even greater financial struggles. With international adoption no longer an option, how will these institutions provide care for the children who remain?
The legacy of the One-Child Policy has left deep cultural wounds, particularly for those who were abandoned or grew up as only children under immense pressure. Many adoptees continue to grapple with feelings of loss and displacement, while families who lived under the policy carry the trauma of having been forced into a restrictive societal framework. The gender imbalance created by the policy still impacts social dynamics, with many men facing difficulties finding partners due to the disproportionate number of males. These ongoing issues underscore that the policy’s effects are not easily erased, even with legal and cultural changes.