[pita88]

I have been searching over the forums and wondering which one would be the best to gain more knowledge and support. My Dh and I were recently matched with a baby boy due next week. The Pbmom is CC and the Pbdad is half Puerto Rican and half Dominican Republic. It is a domestic adoption. We have met with the Pbmom and she showed us a picture of the birthfather and he looks black/ hispanic. With all the cultures in his heritage does this make him transracial, transcultural or biracial? I want very much to make sure his heritage is an important part of his life.

[LadyBugz]

Originally Posted by jsutkus

With all the cultures in his heritage does this make him transracial, transcultural or biracial?

Transracial adoption: adoptive parents are of another race than the child they adopt. Unless you are also of CC and Hispanic decent, then it would be a transracial adoption.

Transcultural: adoptive parents are of another culture than the child they adopt. It is possible to adopt within the same race but different cultures. Your adoption will also be transcultural.

Biracial: when a person is of two races (also used as a replacement for multi-racial, when a person is of more than two races.) As your child is CC and Hispanic, he is biracial. You share part of his racial heritage with him (I assume).

ETA:
Here's something I wrote to another user recently to help explain some of the differences. In my cursory Internet research, I figured out that (despite the terms frequently being used interchangeably) "Hispanic" is considered a racial ethnicity while Latino is considered cultural. Within the Hispanic community, there are light skinned people (like from Argentina) and darker skinned people (like from Portugal).--> Let's hope I got all that correct!

Transracial:
Caucasian American adopts Black American.
Black American adopts Asian from Thailand.
Latina from Brazil adopts Latino from Argentina.

Transcultural:
Caucasian from New England adopts Caucasian from Appalachia.
Hispanic from Spain adopts Hispanic from Portugal.
Black American adopts Asian from Viet Nam.

International Adoption:
Caucasian from France adopts Caucasian from Argentina.
Asian American adopts Asian from China.
Black American adopts Asian from Thailand.

As you can see, a transracial adoption is likely a transcultural adoption and can be international. A transcultural adoption is not necessarily transracial or international, though it can be both as well. And an international adoption is likely transcultural, but not necessarily transracial.

[pita88]

I did leave out the fact that me and Dh are both CC.