One of the things that you (obviously) should consider before adopting a child of a different race than you, is how that will affect your family. Of course you can't really predict who will say what to you when, but you do learn to be a little prepared.
Since bringing Adisu home, most Caucasians have assumed he is adopted or a foster child. (There was one ignorant comment about getting some extra Christmas spending money by taking him. Truly ignorant.) By far the most pointed attention we have received about him has been from African-Americans. At the park one day a bunch of girls asked me who he was and then whispered it back and forth to each other. Another time a little African American boy just kept watching and watching us. And yesterday an elderly man started up a conversation with us on the bus, lauding us for taking Adisu in, asking all sorts of questions about him and calling him his little brother. It is all very interesting and I always wonder what they are really thinking.
Somehow they seem to know he isn't African-American as they are. Are they more or less accepting because he is from Africa? Does it make a difference? We will probably never know. But it sure does make family outings just a little more interesting.
2 comments:
From what I hear from my friends that have adopted bi-racially, you and your children will have to get used responding graciously to a wide spectrum of "pointing out the obvious" remarks. I hope none of them are unkind
Wait until the kids get older and they start understanding the concept of race. It might be a nonissue, especially the more we get into a post-racial, globalized, everyone-is-awesome culture, but you probably have some interesting conversations with them in your future. :)
Post a Comment