The Reply

Dear Renee,

Thanks very much for taking the time to lend us your perspective on this contest. I'll share your feedback with our editors and hope you will keep in touch whenever another article piques your interest (or indignation).

Best regards,
Parents

Oh jeez, now she's writing letters to the editor.

I just wrote to the editor of a magazine. You might rightly accuse me of the stay-at-home-mommy syndrome. You know, the one where previously sane, educated women begin having conversations with themselves or imaginary Others because everyone else they know who is sane and educated is at work. At any rate, the back of my neck flushed a little as I was scanning the layout in Parents Magazine which included a photo spread of a porcelain-skinned boy named Luke who won a Beautiful Baby Search co-sponsored by Regis and Kelly. Photos of four runners-up were also included. In response, I sent this picture of Jeremy attached to the following e-mail:

Dear Editor,

I agree that Luke is an amazingly beautiful boy! However, my heart dropped a notch noticing that Luke and each of the 4 runners-up in Regis’ Beautiful Baby Search are all white.

As a white adoptive parent of a multi-racial boy, I am increasingly sensitive to white predominance in our country. I have been sensitive to oppression based on gender and race since I was a child, but only since adopting Jeremy have I really noticed the unequal representation of people of color in many important aspects of our society.

Maybe the parents of ethnic children fell down on the job. I certainly did not submit an entry to the contest. Maybe I should have, because Jeremy is exceedingly cute. :^)

However, I would like to offer my observation to you as a point to consider in future contests.

Best,
Renee Webster-Hawkins
Sacramento, California