Honor Blackman dies- news reader refers to her “two adopted children”

[LittleRa]

Not sure if this is the correct section but Bond actress Honor Blackman has died of natural causes aged 94. I happened to be reading the family’s statement online at the same time as the BBC news reader was reading it and I noticed the statement said she “will be greatly missed by her two children Barnaby and Lottie” whereas the news reader said she “will be greatly missed by her two adopted children Barnaby and Lottie”. Why?! A glance at her Wikipedia entry shows she adopted them in 1967 and 1968.

Well, I wouldn't say offensive necessarily, because that perhaps implies that being adopted is a bad thing, but it is certainly crass and insensitive if it's an addition to the statement from the family.

My dad was adopted, and the vicar at his mum's funeral described him as her 'adopted son' and it was a knife through his heart at a very painful time. No need at all.

It shows great selflessness on the part of the adopter

Fuck off with this ignorant comment.

Excellent post Floral - I agree entirely.

The statement from the family does not refer to the children being adopted.

@LittleRa

This boils my piss too.

I remember someone interviewing Marie Osmond (some 10 years back,) and the interviewer said 'you have 8 children yes?' Marie said 'yes that's correct.' Then the interviewer said 'you adopted several children some years ago, how many are adopted, and which are the ones that are?'

Marie said 'I'm not gonna answer that question... they are ALL my children.' She wasn't rude, but more assertive. I thought 'good for you Marie!'

As @Bluntness100 said the fact that a child is adopted DOES NOT need saying. It is utterly irrelevant.

R.I.P. Honor Blackman!

Perhaps they meant well?Perhaps they meant well? It reflects well on her and her determination to become their mother that she went through that for their sakes- it was a hellish process to adopt in the 60s. And they were, in fact, adopted- they presumably know this and know she loved them and chose them
I actually thought this as well.

But I can see the other side as well in that it may cause upset to them

I wonder whether it's to do with old fashioned journalistic conventions of obituaries. They always end with a list of the deceased's immediate heirs "he leaves a wife, and two sons...)

Honor Blackman's obit will have been on file for years.

I was referred to as such at my Dad's funeral. You could see people who resented me (mostly his friends) acknowledging the fact you know, as if to say "yes the vicar has quite rightly pointed it out". I was adopted at 10 days old in the early 60s and by this time I was 35 .

I wonder whether it's to do with old fashioned journalistic conventions of obituaries. They always end with a list of the deceased's immediate heirs "he leaves a wife, and two sons...)

If they’re taking their format from Burke’s peerage, then maybe.

Fuck off with this ignorant comment.

Could you please help me understand? I greatly admire people who adopt.

Just wanted to add, Honor was a very elegant and attractive woman, and she looked WAY younger than 94.

I mean, just look. (This pic was taken last year!) I hope I look that good at 94! I wish I looked that good now. Gorgeous lady! R.I.P.

Why do you consider it a 'selfless' act? People want a child and then adopt a child.

@Gronky Why do you admire people who adopt?

That was to Gronky.

I was about to post the same question too Simon!

@lemonsandlimes123 Well technically, step-children and adopted children are both children by socially constructed circumstances whereas biological children are a matter of biological fact. It's not to say that one is better or worse but they are not exactly the same thing much like another argument that has a lot or airtime on this board! This is so true!! I have laughed about this as well.

@helgahelga I agree with you too, what a beautiful woman.

Think there is a big difference between mentioning that they were adopted in a long obituary ( if it gave context to something else about the deceased’s life, maybe ) and it being in a basic announcement -totally pointless and irrelevant.

Why do you admire people who adopt?

It may sound rather crass but, biologically, we are driven to care for those who are closely genetically related to us. People who adopt put nature aside and provide a childhood with better outcomes by almost every metric than that provided by foster care.

It reflects well on her and her determination to become their mother that she went through that for their sakes- it was a hellish process to adopt in the 60s.

I was adopted in the 1960s. It was a hellish process for the birth mother - not for the adoptive parents. It is far harder now. Also, she didn't go through anything "for their sakes" - this idea of kind and charitable adoptive parents swooping in to save the poor babies is untrue and deeply irritating to adoptees. People wanted to become parents and adopted and did become parents. My own parents would have been shocked to see me and my siblings referred to as "their adopted children" in their obituaries.

LittleRa - The fact it wasn’t mentioned in their statement made it all the more odd for the BBC to mention it.

ChloeDecker - This children were Honor’s children. End of.

^*My sentiments exactly!!^

It's rife in the media. You only have to look at any articles about Angelina Jolie and it always talks of her "adopted children". Absolutely no reason for it in any way ,shape or form and it in no way is someone meaning well or any other excuse.

I'd just read about the death of Honour Blackman and thought the same as you Op, then came on here and saw your post and thought not just me then. I thought the comment "adopted children" really jarred and was totally irrelevant.

She was a beautiful and classy women, RIP Ms Blackman.

This reminds me of the threads on here where someone would be upset their racist partner would refer to someone as 'my child's black friend' or Asian friend. Or threads where someone says 'I spoke to the black receptionist'. And others would pile in and say they didn't understand what was wrong with saying black receptionist or Asian friend instead of just receptionist or friend. Too many could not get it, and I am saddened to see it on this thread, too.

The public don't need to know whether a child is adopted. It's not necessary. It's a qualifier, a way to 'another' someone.

And adopting a child proves nothing at all whatsoever about whether you're a good decent person. Mummy Dearest ring a bell?!?? Most people adopt do it because they want a child and can't have one of their own, it is not necessarily a selfless act.

They were her children. Full stop.

And Gronky I do not think that you really understand.

• 'other' someone