A TikToker was left fuming by an adoption agency's choice of wording in a recent Facebook post.
Second Chance Adoption—a program from Wasatch International Adoptions—is specifically geared toward finding adopted children a second home should their first family reject them.
Their Facebook page includes posts featuring photos of children in need of a second home.
A post this past December caught the attention of TikToker @karpoozy, an adoptee herself who's TikTok page almost exclusively features videos centered around adoption, with many of them exposing the flaws in the system.
Appalled by the language Second Chance Adoption used in the post, @karpoozy took them to task in a video, which has gone on to receive nearly 500 thousand views.
@karpoozy #greenscreen #adoption #Facebook #baby #adoptioncheck #adopted #learn #learnontiktok #children #kids #wtf #family #children #kid #socialmedia #news #internet #instagram #snapchat #trending #JBLGreekOut #SnowballFightAgainstHunger
Using a screenshot of the post as a background, the name of the child in question was censored out.
@karpoozy began the video by expressing her disgust at the fact children can be advertised to be "rehomed" on Facebook as if they were dogs. She pointed out how the child in the post was described as being "compliant, a follower, kind and usually obedient."
"He's not a dog!"
"They are literally describing this child like you would see an ad for a dog at a shelter."
While @karpoozy expressed her sympathy for the child, acknowledging we don't know the whole story as to why his first adoption didn't work out, she made it clear posts such as this one had no place on Facebook, or anywhere on the internet.
"This is an easy way to help children to keep getting exploited."
"And the fact that the first thing they decide to describe this child as is 'compliant', that is an open invitation to anyone with malicious intent."
A terrifying 2013 study from Reuters unveiled several shocking instances of illegal second adoptions on the internet, with children more often than not finding their new homes unsafe and abusive.
Fellow TikToker's joined in @karpoozy's horror in both the language used by Second Chance adoption with some even questioning their legality.
@karpoozy/TikTok
@karpoozy/TikTok
@karpoozy/TikTok
@karpoozy/TikTok
@karpoozy/TikTok
@karpoozy/TikTok
@karpoozy/TikTok
@karpoozy/TikTok
There were also a number of responses from people sharing their own experiences in the adoption and foster system.
@karpoozy/TikTok
@karpoozy/TikTok
@karpoozy/TikTok
@karpoozy/TikTok
After getting wind of @karpoozy's video, Second Chance adoption subsequently posted a response to their Facebook page.
They first clarified second adoptions and re-homing are two different things, with re-homing illegal in most states, and second adoptions are legally done with attorneys.
They also emphasized the children in their program suffered from trauma which led them to be orphaned and their adopted parents might not have been prepared to handle this, so finding a second home is purely in the best interest of the child.
"The new family has an approved homestudy, current background clearances and are trained in helping children of trauma."
"The sad thing is that there are kids who are not thriving in their first adoptive home and moving to a home with parents who are trained and equipped in the child's diagnoses REALLY helps the child heal."
In addition, they made it clear posting photos of children on their Facebook page is legal and a fairly common occurrence across the United States.
"Does this TikTok user know that foster kids in all 50 states are photo listed online?"
"Is this legal? Of course! And sadly it is necessary."
"If kids were not listed, new families would never find them."
"Kids who have suffered trauma and are also without loving, appropriate, trained parents are tragic."
"Let's not add to that already huge number."
@karpoozy later posted a follow up to Second Chance Adoptions' response, as well as an article about her earlier video from The Daily Dot.
@karpoozy #greenscreen #adoption #adopted #adopt #adoptee #karpoozy #dailydot #fyp #fypシ #foryou #baby #children #kids #xcyzba #trending #wtf #yikes
@karpoozy acknowledged there are things they can "agree to disagree" on when it comes to adoption, but remained in disbelief they made no apology regarding their choice of words, particularly the fact they used the term "re-listed" in their initial post, claiming they missed the whole point of her earlier video.
"You have adult, adopted people telling you that word is offensive, it's dehumanizing."
"We don't like it."
"And you as an adoption agency can't say, 'hey, we messed up, sorry we used that word.'"
"I don't think that's asking too much."
