The Waiting Room

Today is Loving Day.

This day is of particular importance for me. For those of you new to my blog, I am biracial. My mother is White and my dad is Black. In addition, my wonderful Husband is White.

The Supreme Court decided the case Loving v. Virginia which struck down laws banning interracial marriage. It was decided the same year my parents married. A year later, Seeking Solace was born.

Although my parents live "up North", they still had to battle many obstacles and prejudices. The could not get married in the county they lived. They had to drive two hours to find a Justice of the Peace who would marry them.

They had to deal with the prejudices of strangers and even family members who thought what they were doing was wrong or unnatural. some tried to use religion to justify that interracial marriage was wrong.

They heard comments that they should not have children because they children won't know what they are.

I remember hear many of the racist comments when I was a little girl. I also remember the toll it took on my parents. I also remember the stigma that my brother and I suffered because people from both races would not accept us. Some white people thought we just just too Black. Some Black people though we were "acting White". I have so many stories that could probably fill a book. (Hmmm....that's an idea...)

You would think this would make me bitter, but it doesn't. I am proud of my background. I am proud of my parents because they taught me to accept people for the content of their character. I am not just Black or just White. I am multi-racial, multi ethnic person.

Have things gotten better since Loving? Yes and no. When I married Husband, we did not go through the stigma and angst that my parents did. We do, on occasion, get "the look" from people from both races. I still get people who ask me "What are you?" (Usually, people think I am Puerto -Rican, Hispanic, or Asian Indian). Those who are genuinely curious, I will respond kindly. To those with a negative heart or agenda, I have no use. I have learned that you can't change all people's perception. There are many people who still think that there should be only certain people who have the "right" to be married.

Someday, I hope that all people, regardless of who they are, can live, love and marry whomever they choose.

Loving was just the beginning.