I think my mother was more scared of giving me "the talk" than I was
I already knew everything from like third grade and yet in fifth grade she still took me up to my room and proceeded to try to tell me that sperm was like gold fish
No really she did. You can ask her. Actually don't because I'm pretty sure she would kill me
When I started to make friends who weren't from my elementary school she would ask: "Are you sure you want to associate with them? They live in apartments."
When I embraced my curls I would meticulously pick out my styling products making sure that they were free of chemicals and hatred
I would pace down the African hair isle in the store while my mother was finding the best steal for the tomato paste next door
She would come up to me and whisper "you know you are buying products for Black people's hair, not yours"
My mother grew up in Worthington, Ohio where she learned that people with disabilities are called "retarded" as well as people who are not white, straight, Christians
Where people are fat instead of having fat
My mother doesn't know any better
When i made friends who weren't white, she would automatically assume that my Indian friends were smart, my Asian friends could not pronounce words, and my African friends obviously were stupid and didn't have a chance to get a sufficient education
When I visited the Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints my mom made sure for my to promise not to listen to anything they say because why we're not "real Christians"
But Momma what if I want friends who live in appartments
What if I want African hair
What if I want friends with disabilities because they sure are a lot nicer than you
What if I want friends who are from different backgrounds
What I dont want a white husband
What if I want a black husband and adopt Asian children
What if I do want to become a Mormon
What if?