A man on TikTok has everybody on the app crying after responding to a video asking why white people adopt Black children. His answer could make even the most stoic individual break down into tears.
The initial video that TikTok user “therapist_dave” is responding to seems almost mean-spirited as they ask the question. Adoption is a pretty selfless act, regardless of the respective races of the parents and children, so why would anyone feel the need to question adoptive parents’ motives? Who knows? But Dave’s response to the question is mature, heartfelt, and just makes you want to give the man a hug.
He explains that his two children, a daughter and a son, are both adopted, and that he loves them dearly. Fun fact, this is not nearly as rare of an occurrence as you would expect with an article from Time stating that the Department of Health and Human Services found out 40% of adoptions are what they call “transracial.” It’s actually becoming more common with those statistics notably increasing from a 2004 study which found 28% of adoptions to be transracial.
Of course, Dave can’t speak on behalf of everyone, and can only attest to his own experience. While the video he’s responding to may seem like it’s mocking white parents for adopting children of another race, it does raise an actual point. There are situations where transracial adoptions can lead to the adopted child being alienated from both their own culture and the culture of their adopted family. In a video posted by Olivia Yokubonis she speaks on what some of the struggles she had to endure being adopted by parents of another race.
As with most things in life, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Of course, nobody is saying that transracial adoption is bad, or that David is somehow wrong for adopting his son, it’s just an incredibly nuanced subject with multiple perspectives. Speaking about his son, whom he’s clearly proud of, he shows a picture of the young man dressed for prom and explains that he adopted him when he was two. Describing the moment he got the call from CPS, you can clearly see Dave holding back tears.
We got the call from CPS saying “hey, we’ve got a little man needing a home.” And we said, “what a coincidence, we’ve got a home needing a little man.” And to be quite frank about it he could have been purple with three eyes and I would not have cared. He is my son.
His entire monologue is one of the most wholesome speeches ever caught on camera and it’s all genuine. Honestly, I want this guy to be my father as well. The comment section was also filled with people who were emotionally wrecked after watching the video as well as many others who also had similar experiences as adoptive parents.
“We have a home that needs a little man.” 😭 I felt that line in my soul.
It’s hard for some people to fathom that others have real genuine, pure love for each other, regardless of the things that’s supposed to divide us! Great job by you and your wife.
I tell my adopted children that they grew in my heart instead of my belly. It just took them time to get HOME ♥️
In the end Dave concludes that, for him, it’s all as simple as him having a home needing a child and being connected with a child needing a home.