I'm Biracial, and That Cheerios Ad Is a Big Fucking Deal. Trust Me. ⇒
7 June 2013, lunch time
Life was even more confusing for my brother. He was born with blond, curly hair and bright blue eyes. He looked nothing like my mom. When they were alone together, well, that’s when shit got real. The white mothers in my neighborhood not only assumed my mom was my brother’s nanny, but they inquired after her services.
This is a post from my link log: If you click the title of this post you will be taken the web page I am discussing.
My fiancée is of Mexican descent and our daughter somehow came out even whiter than me. We are fairly certain that when they are together without me, people wonder if she’s the nanny. I think a lot of the time we don’t remember that we are an “interracial” couple. San Antonio is full of them. But when we go to Oklahoma it feels a lot more obvious. There are a lot of places that need these commercials. It’s normal. It’s my daughter’s reality.
by Ben on June 7 2013, 10:17 pm #
I constantly get asked if I’m Mythilli’s nanny. Random South Asian ladies get asked if they’re Mythilli’s mother before anyone suspects me. A little (biracial) girl on the playground once asked me if I was Mythilli’s caregiver. Maybe now I’m super sensitive, but It feels like the neighbourhood moms get this “aha” moment when they finally see Ram and me together with Mythilli. And I want to be like “See, I’m not lying. She’s my daughter. She just looks more like her dad than me. “
But for me, the most frustrating thing is when Persian or South Asian people will obviously stare at our family. I want to punch them all in the face. And then go burn some incense.
by sh!ma on June 9 2013, 12:42 pm #
I just realized that in the six years we have been together, I’ve never seen anyone give me and Leandra a look. It may happen when we go to Oklahoma, maybe, but it’s been years since we were there together. San Antonio is a majority Hispanic city and here it’s just totally normal. If anything, I think I’d be the one getting looks and I never have. I am sure my daughter will get some funny looks from teachers for being a very white looking girl named Audelia.
by Ben on June 9 2013, 8:55 pm #