Thread by @blackvoices

Scott Brown, who is Black, and his husband, who is white, are the proud foster-to-adopt parents of a white 21-month-old son. "We have become the object of such fascination due to the unconventional makeup of our family," writes Brown. huffpost.com/entry/black-da…

As an interracial couple, their only request was that the child they would end up adopting be a mix of something. When they were "presented with the whitest baby on the face of the earth," Brown was confused. "Those were usually the ones reserved for white heterosexual couples."

Brown says he had been preparing all his life to raise the most self-assured, entitled, Black (or some other non-white) child that he could. "Looking at this blond-haired, blue-eyed baby," he recalls, "apparently I should have been doing a different kind of training."

"But as he looked back at me from that photo, it only took a millisecond to readjust my own vision to see what a gift he was," says Brown. "Once he was finally in my arms, the only emotion I felt was unconditional love." huffpost.com/entry/black-da…

Though they were safe from unwanted attention during COVID, that changed once things opened up. "I was becoming a scowling figure who, from behind a KN95 mask and sunglasses, watched and felt everyone's eye … and silently dared them to say something. It's too much to carry."

Meanwhile, Brown says the response from Black people when they see his son seems to have more of a "how could you?" tone. "A WHITE BABY!? Lord Jesus, it's too much for them." huffpost.com/entry/black-da…

When Brown hears hurtful comments from strangers, he can usually ignore it. "It's when it comes from people you love that it can take on a different kind of ouch," he shares. "I have friends and family who rarely, if ever, ask, 'How’s the little guy?'" huffpost.com/entry/black-da…

Read Brown's full essay, which includes the one piece of advice from a woman in his support group that's been especially useful and that he heeds to this day. huffpost.com/entry/black-da…