The Blind Side: Ownership, Propaganda, and the White Savior Playbook

The Blind Side: Ownership, Propaganda, and the White Savior PlaybookEpisode Summary:In this episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines, Zaira and co-host/editor J Way kick off a new film mini-series with one of the most infamous adoption movies of all time: The Blind Side. They revisit this Oscar winning film with fresh eyes, exposing its white savior narrative, racist tropes, and the insidious control adoption often masks as care. Together, they dissect the real life harm caused by this story, and why adoptees need to reclaim the mic.In this episode, we cover:(01:33) Why we had to start the series with The Blind Side (03:26) Savior narratives, selective memory, and how adopters used this film as “family time” (07:17) Hallmark vibes, propaganda beats, and the absurd plot construction (10:08) IQ scores, protectiveness tests, and the racist assumptions they reinforce (14:18) Control vs. care, and how Leigh Anne’s character weaponizes both(20:20) Black bodies as tools: protector, athlete, project (23:44) Christianity, purity culture, and domination masked as discipline (30:51) Queer families, carceral systems, and why inclusion isn’t liberation(36:24) “Do you have a mother?” and how the film dehumanizes Michael’s mom (40:26) Ole Miss, Confederate nostalgia, and performative progress (46:10) Final takeaways: who gets to tell the story—and why it mattersCall To Action:Subscribe to Adoptees Crossing Lines wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow us on social media and Substack for more content and community:Website: adopteescrossinglines.comInstagram: @adopteescrossinglinesBlueSky: adopteecrossing.bsky.socialTikTok: @adopteescrossinglines_Substack: Adoptees Crossing Lines SubstackConnect with J Way:TikTok: @itsyagirl_jwayBlueSky: @itsjway.bsky.socialListen to these episodes next:Surveillance, Saviors, and Screens: Media & Adoption with J Way Adoptee Storytelling & Film AdvocacyWork With Me: Email [email protected] for brand partnerships and business inquiries.Editing by J. Way (AV Editor) Special thanks to J. Way for editing this podcast. To collaborate with her, email [email protected].