Altogether Now

With a bridal party that breaks out 4 women, 3 men (gender-wise); 4 Filipinos, 1 Mexican, 1 Black, 1 White (ethnically); 5 heteros, 2 gays (orientation-wise); and a future husband who is half-British, half-Italian, I think it shows that I have gone to great lengths to cultivate relationships outside of the norm and learn about new cultures. Berkeley had numerous student associations based on various cultures with a very strong, well-represented Pilipino American Association. I felt like I already knew my culture. Why associate only with Filipinos? Why take classes in Tagalog? I was attending one of the most diverse colleges in the world. Of course I wanted to form friendships with people from different ethnic backgrounds, different religions.

I constantly teased a white guy I dated who lived in the Marina. “Do you have any friends who aren’t white? Besides the woman who comes to clean your place.”

“What are you talking about? Tina’s my friend. She’s Asian.”

“Ummm, she dyes her hair blonde. I probably know more Mandarin than she does. Try again.”

In such a diverse area, I’m always surprised to see large groups of people hanging out together. The Indians mingle in the bar District. The fraternity and sorority alums stroll along Union Street.

My parents wanted me to read an article titled Hybrid Kids from Bay Area Parent magazine since our future kids will be mixed race. It was an interesting article featuring several multiracial families with statistics showing multiracial Americans as the fastest growing demographic group. One Caucasian mother who has a Chinese husband said that a stranger had asked about her son, “Where did you get him? I thought you could only adopt girls from China.” Each featured family had similar shocking comments.

If I’m blessed with children in the future, I’d hope to expose them to many of their cultures–not just their own. I’d want them to travel and befriend people from all walks of life. I can’t think of a more open-minded diverse mom than myself. Who doesn’t want a pro-choice Catholic, libertarian, corporate capitalist, ACLU card carrying burner hippy to be their mommy?!