What’s it like to be White?

Sitting on the couch tonight, Journey casually asked me the following:

J: “So, if the dad who was supposed to be my dad had been
White [She’s adopted], I would be White too, right?”

Me: “Well, it doesn’t always work like that. It’s a mixture of
both your Mom and Dad.”

J: “Oh.”

Me: “Do you wish you were White?”

J; “No, but I wonder what it would be like to be White?”

Me: “That’s a question you should ask your dad.”

Me: “Lee [Journey’s dad and my husband], I think you
better come in the living room for this conversation.”

Lee: “Why?”

Me: “Journey wants to know what it’s like to be White.”

Lee: “Well, that’s a good question.”

Me: “J, what do you think it would be like to be White?”

J: “Well, I would have the same life, but it would be
different. I would be just like my dad. And, if I
wanted to be an astronaut when I grow up, I would
stick with it.”

Stay tuned for the follow-up to this conversation.

Author: Susan Faircloth

American Indian, Mother, Scholar

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