Famous Female Foster Kids
Celebrity Actors and Media Personalities Fostered as Children
Mar 11, 2009
According to a theoretical study completed by Chamberlain, Leve and Smith, there is a pronounced risk for young girls in the foster care system of middle school age. If a girl experiences trouble transitioning to a new academic or living situation, she may be prone to delinquency, substance abuse, mental health issues and risky sexual behaviour.
When a woman who was once a foster child becomes successful in the eye of the public, she reaches celebrity status because she beat the odds. Although their young lives were difficult, these famous women were able make the best of their family situations and went on to find success in the limelight.
Marilyn Monroe as a Foster Child
Perhaps the most famous Hollywood actress to date, Monroe was born in 1926 to a single mom. Due to the social implications of a single woman raising a child, Monroe spent the first years of her life with a foster family. Her birthmom tried to parent her when Monroe was seven, but her mom was declared legally insane and Monroe was placed in an orphanage. At age eleven, Monroe went to live with a family friend. When she was fifteen years old, she was given the choice to live at the orphanage or become married and she chose to marry.
Victoria Rowell Inspires Foster Children
Born in 1960, Victoria Rowell was sent to live in a foster home when she was sixteen days old. Born to an African father and white mother, Rowell and her two sisters lived in various foster homes for eighteen years due to their mother’s mental health.
Encouraged in her love of dance by one of her foster mothers, Rowell became a talented ballet dancer and later an actress in soap operas and prime time dramas. With her life experience and success, she formed Rowell Foster Children Positive Plan which “is dedicated to helping foster youth thrive through fine arts, sports and job opportunities.”
Cher’s Experience in an Orphanage
Cher was born in 1946 to a single mother as her parents divorced during the pregnancy. The singer and actress was an only child and spent much of her early life in poverty. When Cher was two years old, her mother experienced an illness that prevented her from parenting, so Cher lived in an orphanage until her mother got better. Cher’s grandparents also had an active role in raising her in the absence of her mother.
Dr. Ruth Westheimer in Foster Care
Born in 1928 in Frankfurt, Germany, Dr. Westheimer was sent to a Switzerland boarding school when she was ten years old until things settled in Nazi Germany. The boarding school became an orphanage for her and many other children whose families were killed during the Holocaust. She lived there for 6 years until she was able to live independently. Dr. Westheimer made her mark as a host for a radio show on human sexuality and has also written numerous books on the subject.
Becoming famous female celebrities is no small feat for these women who once were foster children. With the odds stacked against them, these actresses and media personalities became successful in their careers and inspire young women whose lives have been touch by foster care. To find out about other celebrity foster children and adoptees, read Famous Male Foster Children and Famous Canadian Adoptees in Sports and T.V.
References
Fosterclub website
Chamberlain, P., Leve, L. D., Smith, D. K. Preventing Behaviour Problems and Health-risking Behaviours in Girls in Foster Care, International Journal of Behaviour and Consultation Therapy, 2006.
 |
