Gladney Center Protests FOX Network's 'Who's Your Daddy'

FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 30 -- The Gladney Center for Adoption, one of the nation's oldest non-profit adoption agencies, strongly objects to a new television series titled "Who's Your Daddy" scheduled to air January 3 on the FOX network. This reality show depicts an adopted woman in a contest to try to guess which of eight men is her biological father. If she guesses correctly, she wins $100,000. If she's wrong, the money is awarded to the impostor.

Adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents and adoption professionals find this type of programming reprehensible. Sensationalizing the intimate process of a reunion between an adopted child and her biological parent is offensive. Throwing a cash prize into this mix while "contestants" attempt to intentionally deceive this adopted individual makes this all the more egregious. FOX executives claim that there is an altruistic and virtuous motive behind this charade. However, such a presentation, under the guise of some sort of social benefit is insulting to all members of the adoption community.

We recognize the appeal of reality television and understand FOX network's desire to offer compelling programming. However, few of the millions of Americans that have been touched by adoption will watch this series, refusing to contribute to the ratings of a show that cheapens the adoption process.

The Gladney Center, the National Council for Adoption and many other adoption agencies and adoption professionals will be working with local and national media to publicly protest the airing of this program.

Since its inception in 1887, the Fort Worth based Gladney Center for Adoption has placed more than 26,000 children (internationally and domestically) in forever homes and served more then 36,000 birth mothers. The agency also maintains the largest, most comprehensive maternity home in the United States. For more information about Gladney's international and domestic adoption programs, please log on to http://www.gladney.org .

SOURCE Gladney Center for Adoption
Web Site: http://www.gladney.org