Transracial Adoptee Explores Identity in New Podcast

Eva Brookes, born in China and adopted by a British family, has launched a podcast for BBC Sounds delving into her experiences as a transracial adoptee. The series explores how her life and identity were shaped by adoption, a topic she felt compelled to address after realizing the lack of adoptee perspectives in existing media.

Brookes was born in China during the one-child policy, a period when many baby girls were abandoned. She was adopted at 13 months by a couple from Essex who had previously adopted from China. While feeling accepted within her family, Brookes began to feel like an outsider in primary school due to her appearance.

As she grew, Brookes found herself distancing from her Chinese identity due to negative experiences. It was only in adulthood that she began to re-examine this part of herself, leading to her podcast pitch. The production revisits her childhood and explores connecting with her birth culture.

The podcast, "Made in China," aims to be the voice Brookes wished she had while growing up, offering an insider's view on transracial adoption and its multifaceted influences.