Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Race, ethnicity and adoption

It was a question on the adoption paperwork that I struggled the most. I could easily answer the question about if I had a problem parenting a child who was gay or lesbian. No problem. I mean how would I know even if one obio kids were? Well The boys couldn't be lesbians but you get my drift. Would I love them less? No way. Would I think less of them? Nope
But when it came to the question do I feel I could effectively parent a child of a different racial background.... I struggled with it. I put it off until the end of everything. I come from a VERY racially mixed background. My stepfather was african american (we he still is...just not my stepfather anymore) So I have that influence of his family growing up. My oldest son is part Korean. That is just a touch on the racial diversity I have known.
So parenting a child of a different race should be no problem right? Well I am not sure I (we) could properly raise an African American boy to be a strong black man. A strong man SURE. But he also would need more than we could provide when it comes to making him culturally aware.
Am I wrong? Does it make me a bad person for thinking this?

No comments: