Is Madonna About to Adopt in Malawi Again?

April 14, 2007 — Madonna is heading to Malawi once again this weekend to visit some charities she has set up there, but there are some reports that she is planning to adopt another Malawian child.

When Madonna first visited Malawi last year and adopted a one-year-old boy, a firestorm followed.

Critics claimed that she was only allowed to bypass the country's strict adoption laws because she was a celebrity. The boy's father claimed he was misinformed about the process.

Now, the Material Girl is returning to the country and so is the controversy. The Sun of London and other tabloids are reporting that she's looking to adopt again. Her publicist, however, denies it — although she denied it last time as well.

"I definitely think that Madonna would adopt again," Us Weekly senior editor Bradly Jacobs said. "She said she wanted to adopt a little Malawian girl next time. She wanted to even out her family since she already has one girl and two boys."

Madonna herself has left the door open to future adoptions.

"I wouldn't rule it out," she said in a recent interview. "I would like it to not be as complicated in the future, but I would just like to experience David for a while and see how that works out first."

Madonna is just one of many celebrities who have been adopting children abroad to expand families or shine a light on issues like third-world poverty.

"In a sense, Madonna is following a trend, a 15-year trend towards increasing numbers of international adoption," said Thomas Atwood, president of the National Council for Adoption. "She is at the beginning of a trend with respect to adoptions from Africa."

But while other stars have had their adoptions celebrated, Madonna had to go on an international media tour to justify hers.

"She's always been a lightning rod of controversy; she's always been criticized," Jacobs said. "Angelina has adopted all these kids. It's been easy. Madonna goes and adopts one and suddenly there's an uproar."

Some adoption advocates are on her side. They hope the attention — good or bad — may help change the restrictive Malawi adoption laws.

"What we have in Malawi is a sign on the door that says: prospective adoptive parents need not apply. If Madonna's celebrity can help remove that sign, more children will have families through adoption," Atwood said.

Madonna flies to Malawi Sunday with David, who she adopted in Malawi, and her two other children, Lourdes and Rocco.