[Chiefs_dip]

Dh and I are both Caucasian and have three children through adoption. All of them are full Hispanic.

I always considered us a Transracial family. My children are of a different race and ethnicity than us. We get the stares, and the questions about our family. We work at educating others about our children's ethnicity, what terms not to say and so on. We also bring our children's culture into our house.

Recently though I've had two people be offended when i referred to my family as transracial. They said that term is only for caucasian/AA families.

What is your opinion?

[millie58]

Hispanic is a culture; you can be white Hispanic, black Hispanic or somewhere in between. IMHO, if your children are white hispanic (meaning they have more European ancestry), you're a transcultural family but not a transracial. If they're afro -hispanic, then you'd be transracial and transcultural.

Millie

[Cjmeck]

Yes, I would definitely consider yours a transracial family. I am confused why anyone would question this...

[oceanica]

I thought there were three races - caucasoid, mongoloid, and negroid - in the strict sense based on craniofacial anatomy. This is an old classification.

Craniofacial anthropometry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In modern society everyone calls hispanic/latina a race.

So whatever, you are a beautiful multicultural family!

[Saya]

My DH and I are CC - my daughter is Hispanic and born in Guatemala. Yes, I definitely consider us to be a transracial family.

Oceanica, those racial definitions were used in the late 19th and the early-mid 20th century, but have been debunked. The concept of "Race" in America (and elsewhere) is a socially constructed category that is always in flux, and doesn't fall neatly into any strict categories. I am Jewish and am considered fully CC, but my great great grandparents who came to this country in the 19th century weren't considered white, and nor were most Italian immigrants. "Hispanic" is a term whose meaning is still being constructed within the context of American categories of identity like "race" and "culture" and "ethnicity." The fact is, my daughter isn't white, and she isn't black, and she isn't native american, and she IS Hispanic, and in my mind (and in the mind of the society around us) we are a transracial family.

What it means to be transracial on a day to day basis might be different for a CC/H family then for a CC/AA family, or any other combo, but transracial is still the most salient description, in my opinion.

[joskimo]

I would regard your family as transracial, given the listings I'm not sure dh and I would be regarded as transracial - I'm cc and he's na - but I've always regarded us as transracial.

[MB80sgirl]

If your kids are a different race than you, your family is transracial, or interracial, or whatever you want to call it.

[blessedbybug]

Originally Posted by Chiefs_dip

Dh and I are both Caucasian and have three children through adoption. All of them are full Hispanic.

I always considered us a Transracial family. My children are of a different race and ethnicity than us. We get the stares, and the questions about our family. We work at educating others about our children's ethnicity, what terms not to say and so on. We also bring our children's culture into our house.

Recently though I've had two people be offended when i referred to my family as transracial. They said that term is only for caucasian/AA families.

What is your opinion?

This is actually an excellent question. I've been asking it about our family for awhile. Both my children are Aboriginal Canadian, but not obviously so. We 'look like' a white family but our children's first families do not. Therefore, not only is it important that our kids know of their native heritage, but that we celebrate it as well.

For awhile I tried to argue that we were transracial (not argue with anyone, just myself, not much of an argument!!! ;-) but really, we're multi-ethnic. There are alot of families that are. We just don't have the same issues as a family who is obviously transracial. I feel like if you all look different from each other, than you may/can face the issues of a family considered transracial.

[loveajax]

I don't know the answer, but I thought this was interesting (this is from a local college's website...i thought the part about how hispanics "identify" themselves racially on the census was interesting).

Get to know the Hispanics around you

[peregrinerose]

We would probably be considered a transracial family (husband and I CC, son AA/H)... but I never think of us that way. We are a family... that's it. Not transracial, transcultrural, or trans-anything else. I don't know any other way to be than what we are, so don't bother sticking labels before family... we're just a family.

[OakShannon]

Originally Posted by Cjmeck

Yes, I would definitely consider yours a transracial family. I am confused why anyone would question this...

I agree. Limiting that definition to only CC/AA families doesn't make any sense to me.

[latinosunshine]

Yes, you are.

My husband is Puerto Rican and I am a blend of European cultures. We consider ourselves transracial because Puerto Ricans (have African, European and indian blood in them). Though I must say I consider myself Italian and not "white".

We are looking to adopt MR kids as well because we are a MR family and it makes the most sense to have MR kids.

[loveajax]

Latino, I love Puerto Rico (spent tons of time there last winter). I'm just curious....does your DH see Hispanic as a separate "race" or is it the fact that he is of mixed race descent his "race." In other words, would he check "multiple" boxes on a census form or "write in" Hispanic?? How do they come up with these forms anyway? Are we the only country in the world that does this?

[DannieAS]

Originally Posted by loveajax

I don't know the answer, but I thought this was interesting (this is from a local college's website...i thought the part about how hispanics "identify" themselves racially on the census was interesting).

Get to know the Hispanics around you

This is very true loveajax....I know that anytime I fill out a questionnaire or application....I don't check the boxes for hispanic or latina, I check the "other" box and put in capital letters CUBAN.

My enventual family will be more than likely multi-ethnic. I'm very white...but 100% Cuban, and even if placed with a child of hispanic origin, more than likely we may not look alike depending on many factors indicated on the link loveajax provided.

I think the important point is that every family knows what their individual dynamics are re: where they live, what issues will arise, and learn how to live successfuly and raise children that are proud of who they are.

[CubanaYogini]

I am a light-skinned hispanic (Cuban) who could be mistaken for white. In the census, there was a distinction between race and culture for hispanics. I am trying to remember, but I was both hispanic and caucasian as far as the census was concerned. I think that they differentiated between hispanics of Amerindian descent and hispanics of European descent (which am I? LOL).

Nonetheless, I have always considered DH and I an interracial couple (he is CC). Nothing could be more different than the way he was brought up and the way that I was brought up. But truthfully these are probably issues of culture vs. issues of race.

I think that if you are CC of European descent and your kids are hispanic of Amerindian descent that would definitely qualify you as a transracial or multiracial family.