Katie C., Jill Y., Brandon K., Mia Nhia Y.
The film Losing Isaiah sent strong messages about race and adoption. The main message regarding race was that black people are less privileged than white people. A majority of the black people in the film were drug addicts or recovering addicts of a lower socioeconomic status. The white people were more privileged in the sense that they were of a higher socioeconomic class. They held professional jobs and lived in “whitesville.” The privileges that the white people possessed made it easier for them to adopt. Overall, the perception of white people was that they were superior to black people. During the court hearing, racism became evident in the way that language was used. For example, Khaila felt that the adoptive parents were trying to hide Isaiah’s race. Khaila said, “What is it you don’t want him to know, huh? That his mother is as black as he is?”
The film was not a
realistic representation of adoption. The process seemed simpler than what
we’ve learned about. The adoptive parents got Isaiah really fast and there was
little interaction with an adoption agency. Khaila’s search for her son was
very simple and fast as well. This was a horror story and a very unusual case
of adoption. Adoption typically does not result in a huge, controversial court
battle. The film accurately represented how white people have it easier
navigating in the adoption world. This is because white people have more power,
privilege and knowledge of the adoption process. White people’s position of
having more resources than black people qualify them to be a better candidate
for an adoptive parent. The adoptive parents were able to hire a qualified
lawyer to fight the battle, while Khaila had to depend on a lawyer provided by
the government. This gives white people a better advantage in the adoption
case. The movie also exemplified different views of what qualifies a woman to
be considered a mother. Margaret thought birthing a child does not meant that
the woman is a mother. She said, “Any animal can give birth. That doesn’t make
it a mother.” Khaila felt that the adoptive parents stole her baby. Overall,
the film had a lot of inaccuracies, but hopefully the audience can think
critically and understand that this is not an everyday case.
The film Losing Isaiah sent strong messages about race and adoption. The main message regarding race was that black people are less privileged than white people. A majority of the black people in the film were drug addicts or recovering addicts of a lower socioeconomic status. The white people were more privileged in the sense that they were of a higher socioeconomic class. They held professional jobs and lived in “whitesville.” The privileges that the white people possessed made it easier for them to adopt. Overall, the perception of white people was that they were superior to black people. During the court hearing, racism became evident in the way that language was used. For example, Khaila felt that the adoptive parents were trying to hide Isaiah’s race. Khaila said, “What is it you don’t want him to know, huh? That his mother is as black as he is?”
Graded Reply
ReplyDeleteHello Group KBJM,
I agree with you that Losing Isaiah was a film with strong racial messages. I was disappointed that the majority of the black women in the movie had once been crack addicts. Let's be honest, this could be true about white, Latino, or Native American women as well. However, I thihk the dramatic racial tendencies of the movie make it a stronger message about transracial adoption and it also makes for a more emotional connection for the viewer, which is obviously the motive for the producers.
I also noticed many of the inaccuracies you point out. Like the adoption process was not fully shown. However, Margaret did touch on how they tried to find the mother and could not because she was on the streets. So, I think the producers were trying to hint that the adoption process was followed in this case, however they deemed other parts of the adoption more critical in advancing the plot of the movie. I agree when you state that the white people in this movie obviously have privilage over the black, however I think in this transracial adoption case, Khalia was given preference in the court systems. I'm not sure if it was because of her race or because of the biologic factor of motherhood, but I think even though her lawyer was provided by the government, she was given more privilage in the custody case than Margaret, the mother that had been caring for Isaiah his entire life. That part was a little hard for me to swallow because I agree with Margaret; that giving birth does not necessarily make you a mother. It is that and the daily love and care you provide for that child.
Steph Hall