The Great Language Debate

I've just read a post about the correct language to use when discussing adoption, ie birthmother vs natural mother, etc etc.
With all the posting about adoption that gets done on these blogs/message boards, I am amazed that something never registered with me.

My sister is adopted.

Thing is, its such a non-issue to me, that until today, until as part of NaComLeavMo, I was forced to think about it (because I pick 5 blogs a day and make myself comment on them, as opposed to cherrypicking a blog I want to comment on). I commented to the blog writer:

I don't mean for this to come off as contradictory to your post, but as the sibling of an adopted child, I have to say that I could care less about the language that is used. My theory is that it is such a non-issue to me. She is my sister, my parent's daughter, my aunt/uncle's niece, etc, etc, and that's that. She is truly, to me, not a whit different than if she was born of my mom's womb.
Now, saying that, it may be different for me, because I was 5 when she was adopted. She has just "always been there". It may be different for my mom, but I don't know.

I assume that it means as little to my mom as to me, since we don't talk about it either. And when I say we don't talk about it, I don't mean that we avoid it, it just doesn't come up.

To those of you with siblings who are not adopted, do you think about the significance of it?

I would guess no, because to you, there is no significance.

I remember once, talking to a friend of mine who kinda gave me sh*t for having the attitude above. His position was that just because it means nothing to me, doesn't mean it means nothing to my sister. And that is probably totally true. We don't chat about her being adopted. Again, a non-issue.

It just doesn't register with me.

But, I won't feel bad about that fact. I don't diminish her feelings about it, but I won't falsely amplify mine, just because "you" feel like its a big deal, because it's a foreign concept to "you".

As a matter of fact, I think this will be the first time that I do "discuss" it with my sister, because she reads my blog. I hope S, that you aren't bothered by anything I write here.

Bottom line, last words:

She is my sister.

Period.