It is not a twentieth century phenomenon. Ithas existed in some form in all cultures throughout the earth'shistory. What has changed about adoption in the last hundred yearsor so, however, has been that it has been given a legal statusand is often arranged by professional intermediaries, and thatmore and more often children are being adopted by adults who wereunknown to them or their families beforehand. Through the years,this formalization has led to widespread myth and misunderstandingabout adoption-touched families. The use ofPAL vocabulary acknowledges those involved in adoption as thoughtfuland responsible people, reassigns them authority and responsibilityfor their actions, and, by eliminating the emotionally-chargedwords which sometimes lead to a subconscious sense of competitionor conflict, helps to promote understanding among members of theadoption circle.
PAL begins with the concept of family.
Though in adoption parent and child are linked by love and bylaw, the fact that they are not connected by blood has often meantthat some people are unwilling to acknowledge their relationshipas genuine and permanent. As the concept of family changes, it is important that we consistentlyacknowledge that any two people who choose to spend their livescommitted to one another are indeed a family. A couple who haschosen a childfree lifestyle and a single parent with childrenare just as much families as is a married couple who has givenbirth to six children. The reality is that adoption is a methodof joining a family, just as is birth. It is also a method offamily planning, as are birth control pills or abortion.