Amazing what you can type one-handed...
Race is a social construct that really doesn't exist... except when it totally does.
Some (not so) random occurances:
* Racialicious (www.racialicious.com) is hosting the most recent Erase Racism Carnival - a collection of blog posts on various ethnic/racial issues. The current collection is diverse and challenging, even by my jaded standards. Gonna try to get through them this week... Racialicious and Anti Racist Parent (www.antiracistparent.com or ARP) are run by New Demographic, which was founded by two women I consider allies, acquaintences, and virtual friends (would be easier if I lived in NYC and could meet one of them/ see the other one more often than every 3 years or so.) I'm a regular commentator on one and a guest blogger on the other, so I'd say I'm vested in the sites. Maybe too much now.
What was only personal or academic Before Parenthood is a definite reality After Parenthood. She's 3 weeks old, what's the big deal? Lessee... I already had to change one hospital form that had labeled Jess as Caucasian (OMG, my first experience with the Revesed One Drop Rule, since the nurse had met Tony and my mom by that point., and I know Tony "passes"). I've had to list her ethnicity on no less than 2 forms (for statistical purposes, I'm sure), and I'm already sick of it. I'm identifying her as multiethnic, much as my own mother identified me as biracial. She can choose her own ethnic identity when she's older, as she wishes. Which brings me to...
* The inlaws love her. And try my damnedest, I can't resist thinking, "Would she be so pretty to you all if she were darker?" I'm realizing that at almost a month old, she may very well stay this pale... That doesn't matter, except of course when it does. Right now, she's giving my mother a run for her money, though she'll likely get one hell of a tan, once she's allowed in the sun. Which brings me to...
* This Shirt (http://www.swirlsyndicate.com/Shopping.html, third one down)... "She's my mommy, not my nanny." How soon before someone doesn't see my eyes and hair color mirrored in Jess, and plays the "Whose Child Is This?" game? I'm betting sometime this summer. Damn I hope those shirts are back in stock by then.
Priority of importance? Pretty damn low right now (getting a shower. 6 hours of sleep, and seeing daylight are much higher, personally). But at the same time, it's swirling around in my head fairly regularly. I don't want to constantly be on guard - but as a parent, a minority, and the parent OF a minority, I have to be.There has to be a balance between strong and militant, between aware and self-conscious. I've got to find it, and soon.
Creepy... ITunes for playing this one at this very moment...
"I'm not running, I'm not hiding,
If you dig a little deeper, you will find me,
... And when we're alone, we are all the same as each other.
You see the look that's on my face,
You might think I'm out of place,
I'm not lost, no, no, just undiscovered."