“Love makes a family,” a statement that no one opposes, however, there is often disagreement as to the composition of the family members. Our society often gets hung up on stereotypes and what the typical family “should” look like: the momma bear, papa bear and their two children, all of whom are the same color. But, that formula is no longer correct.
Families can consist of heterosexual couples, same-sex couples, transracial couples, include birth parents and adoptive parents or any combination of the sorts. Our social media also gives a misrepresentation of adoption. We watch movies in which social workers come and take away the children or see a family decide to adopt and magically have a baby in the next scene. It just isn’t accurate, but if you aren’t part of the adoption community, that is what you are led to believe.
Love does make a family. My husband and I adopted our three year old and have an open adoption with her birth parents. Our daughter’s birth parents are originally from Taiwan, so we are a transracial family. We created a family tree for our daughter’s room and it doesn’t look like the “normal” tree of mom, dad and 2.5 child home in the suburbs. But, we are a family.
So, please realize that family isn’t skin color, race or biology. Family is the sharing of your life and ove without hesitation for your children.
