Right to Know is a 501(c)(3) non-profit created in the United States in September, 2019 with the purpose of advocating for people with misattributed parentage experiences (MPEs) and was founded on the principal that it is a fundamental human right to know your genetic identity. With the prevalence[1] of DNA testing, many are discovering one or both of their parents are not their biological parents. A DNA surprise highlights the complex intersection of genetic information, identity, and family dynamics. An MPE can occur from a change in a person's perceived parental genealogy from a previously unknown or undisclosed:
- Non-Paternity Event (NPE): an Extramarital Affair or Tryst, or Rape or Assault
- Assisted Conception: Donor Conception (DC), Sperm Donation, Egg Donation, Embryo Donation, Surrogacy, etc.
- Adoption: Hidden, Orphan, Foster Care, Late Discovery Adoptees (LDA), etc.
- or any other event which resulted in unknown parental genealogy.
(the above is ordered by probable frequency of occurrence)
Right to Know's advocacy is divided into three main categories: education, legislation, and mental health. Education outreach occurs through assisting those with a DNA surprise to have access to the resources they need to navigate their discovery and help the general public to understand the impacts of such a surprise. Learning of unexpected genetic parentage later in life can be very traumatic and often leaves a person with a sense of betrayal and an identity crisis. A person with an MPE needs help understanding their over-the-counter DNA results, finding their biological family, and processing their discovery. DNAngels can help you find biological family for free. Severance Magazine offers a vast list of articles, podcasts and other information to understand an MPE. To facilitate healing, Right to Know pairs people with a mentor who has had a similar MPE to listen and help guide a person navigating such a discovery. Call 323-TALK-MPE if you need help. Right to Know also offers training for mental health professionals in the treatment of people with MPEs. The organization believes the U.S. should modernize laws surrounding adoption and donor conception to reflect changes in technology and societal opinions and advocates for changes in U.S. laws to promote access to information regarding genetic identity including parentage, medical history, and cultural heritage. Right to Know is spearheading a push for states in the U.S. to enact broad-based fertility fraud laws.
- ^ "More than 26 million people have taken an at-home ancestry test". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 2021-06-06.