[Jennifer]

This is not an either/or situation. The best answer is to raise the child to know both cultures. As parents of a biracial daughter, these are issues my husband (who is of Eastern European Jewish and German descent) and I (an African American) have grappled with. There is no reason to exclude either culture. If you raise the child as German or white, he will only grow up confused. Likewise, if he’s only raised to know black culture, he will be equally confused. I have no problem with transracial adoption, but I do feel that those who choose to adopt across cultural lines have a responsibility to teach the child about his birth heritage and history. This could be as simple as reading a few books and magazines on the culture and making them available to the child; taking him out to cultural events and shops; and/or joining a multiracial/transracial adoption support group in your area. It is important that the child be taught about his history, whatever that may be, so that he doesn’t feel it’s inferior or get wrong-headed ideas or simply isn’t aware of it.

I’m interested in knowing why this is such an issue when discussing black/white adoption. When I’ve read/heard of whites adopting Asian children or others, I’ve never heard this concern. They seem to take it for granted that the child learn his heritage, going so far as to give the child an Asian name. Is it just an ignorance (simply meaning ‘not knowing about or aware of’ and not to be taken negatively) of African history or African-American culture that concerns whites when it comes to black/white transracial adoption?

User Detail :  

Name : Jennifer, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Yoruba/Ifa, Age : 25, City : Dallas, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : Writer/Teacher/Tutor, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Jennifer]

In African-American culture we also tend to call little girls (and occasionally big girls) ‘Mama’ or ‘Li’l Mama’. I have a 5-month-old and I call her ‘Mama’ more than her own name. I agree with the previous posts; it is mainly a term of endearment, which shows the high regards the role of mother receives in our culture.

User Detail :  

Name : Jennifer, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Yoruba/Ifa, Age : 25, City : Dallas, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : Writer/Teacher/Tutor, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

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