Judy Lewis, the daughter of Loretta Young and Clark Gable passed away recently. Young gave birth to Lewis as a young single actress in Hollywood, and in fear of scandal told everyone she had adopted her daughter. According to Lewis’ Obituary in the LA Times Lewis did not know until she was 23 years old that she was not in fact adopted, and that Young was her biological mother. It took Lewis eight years more to confront Young about this fact, who admitted everything at that point.
In recent years the view of the “Traditional American Family” has expanded and it much more socially acceptable for single women to have children. At Adoption STAR we recommend being honest with your children about their adoption journeys at a young age. A great way to introduce adoption to your children is to read books about adoption to them. You can also keep a photo of your child’s birthparents displayed in your house (if available). If you would like more recommendations for ways to introduce adoption to your children, and how to be open and honest about adoption, you can contact the agency by email or call (716)639-3900.