A new mum has shared the heartbreaking reality of the constant questioning she faces about her daughter’s parentage – simply because she is Black and her daughter has lighter features.
Morgan Hoffman, 31, and her husband Matt, 33, welcomed their daughter Brooklyn 19 months ago, but were taken aback when they saw she had inherited all of Matt’s lighter features, including pale skin and blue eyes. The couple, from Spring Hill, Florida, USA, has since been shocked to encounter strangers who question whether Morgan is truly Brooklyn’s mother.
“I’ve had a lady come up to me at a store when Brooklyn was just a few weeks old. She said, ‘She’s beautiful. Is she yours?’ When I said yes, she looked shocked,” Morgan recalled. “I also had a man at the grocery store a few weeks ago ask if Brooklyn was my daughter. It was very random and odd to hear.”
Despite being initially surprised by the comments, Morgan explained that the blue eyes weren’t a huge concern for her, as they run in Matt’s side of the family. However, the reactions have continued to leave her feeling unsettled, particularly when strangers question her mothering.
As Morgan recounted, “People have told us on multiple occasions that Brooklyn’s eye colour will change as she gets older. Brooklyn’s eyes are still blue, and we don’t care if they change when she gets older.”
However, the hurtful remarks online have been harder to ignore. Morgan shared that she receives cruel messages from strangers who claim Brooklyn must be adopted or even swapped at birth. Some also believe that her daughter won’t be accepted by the Black community because of her lighter features.
“I’ve received a ton of hate comments online. I’ve had people message me really hurtful things,” she said. “They say that I’m not Brooklyn’s biological mother, that Brooklyn was switched at the hospital or that she is a white baby and we adopted her. They say she will not be accepted by the black community because she’s not ‘black enough’ and that the races shouldn’t mix and have children because it ‘confuses’ the children.”
Despite the hurtful comments, Morgan has found strength in sharing her journey online, with her husband’s unwavering support. “My husband Matt has been my rock during this time. He supports me sharing online because it’s something I enjoy and have connected with a lot of other families like mine and grown a following of almost 50k in a year.”
Although Morgan admits to being upset by the negativity, she has become more resilient. “I’ve had to get a thick skin over the past year with sharing online, and negative comments don’t hurt me as much as they used to.”
Looking ahead, Morgan worries about how Brooklyn will be perceived as she grows older. “I’m not sure if Brooklyn will look more like me as she gets older. She is a beautiful mix of Matt and I, and we are so grateful to be her parents.”
Morgan concluded, “I want Brooklyn to know that she is beautiful, loved, and that she doesn’t have to prove herself to anyone.”