Gazing into the Mirror: Reflections of Racial Identity Transformation in Transnational and Transracial Adoptees

In order to understand the social construction of racial identity in adoptees, this paper utilizes the analysis of counter-narratives from Critical Race Theory to examine competing messages sent to adoptees by the adoptive family and society at large. By analyzing counter-narratives collected from both adoptees and adoptive parents, this study explores how the family and larger society influence racial identity development. The findings suggest a contrast in how the adoptee and adoptive parents define racism, which manifests in how they discuss race. Ultimately, each adoptee was able to take the messages the adoptive parent sent along with messages society provided and transform them into a personally meaningful racial identity.