"Orphan" Movie

Warner Brothers is releasing a movie called "Orphan" that really upsets me. It's basically a horror movie about a little girl who is adopted and turns out to be possessed or something. Many people have already complained about the movie and our adoption agency posted a statement on their blog that I've copied below. You can click on the link to sign a petition against the movie but even if you don't want to do that, I would encourage you to think about the connotations that these stereotypes have for adopted kids and what you can do to change things.

Here is Holt's statement:

We at Holt International want to inform our constituents about a movie entitled “Orphan” scheduled to be released in July by Warner Brothers. We are concerned about media depictions that demean or degrade children. We are especially alarmed about the movie’s negative portrayal of adoption and children in need of families.

As adults we have a responsibility to speak out and advocate on behalf of our children. Many people have already contacted Warner Brothers with their concerns, and at least two groups have developed petitions to respectfully protest the messaging of this movie. One group, Orphans Deserve Better, has developed a website to mobilize efforts against the film. Please review their petition’s information and include your voice among those who are making it clear you do not support the movie “Orphan.”

Warner Brothers has already responded to initial protests about the movie and made efforts to remove some the offensive language from the movie’s original trailer. In response to pressure from adoptive parents and other concerned individuals, Warner Brothers has removed the line: “It must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own,” from recently released trailers. However, it remains unclear whether or not the line was removed from the movie.