Thoughts Of A Biracial Child Of Divorce

You can’t say “it’s not about race”

When my white family is justifying 

His claims

But my brown family

Is afraid and devastated 

That who we voted for

Did not win

You can’t say “it’s not about race”

When a cis, white, gay man

Can understand why his cis, het, white, female friend

Voted against his rights

But claims his cis, bi, brown, female friend 

“Discriminated” against him

By not sharing every detail of her brown life with him 

As if catching the color of his skin

Was her worry

You can’t say “it’s not about race” 

When most people of color I know 

Go into fight or flight at the sight of a red hat

But I see white people smile and nod their approval

When the main differences between me 

And most people where I grew up

Are the color of our skin

And the color of our vote

You can’t say “it’s not about race” 

When anything remotely political

Is off limits with my white family

But some political discussion is possible 

With my brown family 

Religion is dicey with both

But we kids are good at changing the subject

You can’t say “it’s not about race”

When I’ve learned to stay quiet about 

Being white or brown 

Around my white family

But jokes about both 

Are allowed

With my brown family