Many moons ago before the laws changed here allowing access to adoption information I did a lot of voluntary work for Jigsaw.
During that time we used the term "Biological mother" or "Birth Mother"
I am adopted myself.......I have always called the women who gave birth to me my birth mother........and she is not offended by this..........because she is..........the woman who gave birth to me.......I can not see how it is offensive.
The only term I would rather not be used in relation to parents involved in adoption is "Natural Parent"...........I find that personally offensive.
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I can see where you are coming from Flashie. Birth mother would certainly be correct the correct term when you are comparing or differentiating between biological and adoptive parents and as an adoptee with two mothers it would be a legitmate distinction to make.
However, in the context in which Mr Abbott used the words there was no comparison to be made - the occasion was to offer an apology to mothers who had been forced or cheated into giving up their babies.
Adoptive parents are wonderful people (I should know, I was one myself) but in this particular instance they should not have been any part of the equation so defining those to whom the apology was offered as birth mothers was unnecessary.
