Ok. It has been a long time since I've been so riled up over lack of political correctness when it comes to how adoptive families are treated. Today - I'm riled up.
The Today Show is running a contest for "America's Favorite Mom". They had a number of categories, like Soccer Mom, Military Mom - and todays least favorite - The Non-Mom. The Non-Mom - defined by some producer who had no clue as being grandparents, step-parent or mom of adopted children.
You have got to be kidding me! I get the idea - but why not feature folks like teachers, social workers, Big Sisters, or other Mentors? But to determine that an adoptive mom (or even a step-mom) is not parenting??? That we aren't parents, but relegated to a non-mom position is insane!
Now, the last time I checked, my daughters birth certificate listed me as the mother, not the non-mother. And I'm not planning on celebrating Non-Mom day on Sunday, nor have my girls been busy with Non-Mom's Day gifts for me at school. All I can think is that some producer or their assistant must have been on crack the day they figured this out.
Needless to say, the adoption worlds right now are up in arms. It's all I'm reading about on the forums. NBC, the show, the sponsors of the show - all have their phone lines CLOGGED (and rightfully so) with families who are upset.
If you want to share in contacting folks, you can contact the following:
America's Favorite Mom Facebook page
America’s Favorite Mom – email: info@americasfavoritemom.com
America’s Favorite Mom – phone: 800-225-7435
Today Show – email: today@msnbc.com
Today Show – story ideas: (212) 664-4249 (like about the idiot who decided adoptive parents aren’t moms…)
Redbook – Letters to the Editors go to: redbook@hearst.com
Redbook – Letters to the Editor in Chief: redbooked@hearst.com
Redbook- Contact by Phone: 1-800-888-0008
USAA - PR Agency for Media Relations: 210-498-0940
Kraft – Head Office: 1-847-646-2000
Teleflora – call: 1-800-835-3356
Teleflora – email to press contact: fposell@teleflora.com
As well as some local links:
tips@komo4news.com (an affiliate)
KenSchram@komo4news.com (if anything deserves a Scrammie, this is it)
newstips@king5.com (competition never hurt)
A colleague blogged about this, and did a great job of putting thoughts into words. Thanks, Chris, for your thoughts or insights.
So, the next question that has concerned me is over the children who watch this who are adopted. Since their mom's are classified as "non-moms" are they "non-children"? Having dealt with neurological and attachment issues, it seems that this could cause some issues...
Needless to say, it was thoughtless and fairly stupid. The question is now - how will they manage this, and deal with the hundreds of thousands of households with moms and kids who are real, live moms and kids...
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My name is Mike Kelly and in the interest of full disclosure I want you to know I work in USAA's Corporate Communications office. Thank you for sharing your concerns about the “Non-Mom” category in the "America's Favorite Mom" program.
USAA sponsored the “Military Mom” category through Teleflora, one of our business alliances. As a financial services company serving the needs of more than 6.4 million military service members and their families, we were and continue to be excited to support and recognize the service and sacrifice of military moms.
Please know that as soon as we received the first complaint from one of our members, we immediately contacted Teleflora and they set about changing the category name to “Adopting Moms.”
Being insensitive was in no way intended and we apologize for any concern or distress this may have caused.
USAA congratulates all Moms, regardless of category, and we offer our best wishes to you and women throughout the world who have given so much to earn the honored name of “Mom.”
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