Ebony Lumpkin, a Black mom living in Virginia, has been dealing with strangers who accuse her of kidnapping because the boy she calls her son has red curly hair and white skin.
But the Black mom herself could not explain why her son, Matthew, has these unique features, knowing that she and the boy's father, who is of a different race, do not have the MC1R gene, which is typical of redhead individuals, according to AmoMama.
Lumpkin, a naval officer, recalled that when she gave birth to her second child, she could vividly hear the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth nurses exclaiming, "Oh, my God!" She was in a state of panic until one of the nurses told her that they were shocked to see that her newborn baby had red hair.
The mother thought that her baby only needed a few washes to remove the red hair, but the nurses told her washing didn't change anything. Nevertheless, Lumpkin embraced the uniqueness of her Matthew from that moment on.
Dealing with the People's Reactions
But while the family adjusted to Matthew's red hair and white skin as he grew older, the people they've encountered have had different reactions, especially when he's with his mother. Lumpkin said that many people could not believe the boy is her biological son.
"I can't count how many times I have had to explain I'm his mom, not nanny, nor is he adopted," the Black mom said, per Metro. However, she also expressed hope that people would be mindful of how they speak about Matthew's unique appearance, especially in front of him.
@ebonylumpkin2 questions I get about my son #redhead #redhair #ginger #gingersoftiktok #mixedkids #biracial #son #genetics #itsunderthesauce #chicagopizza ♬ original sound - Bone Broth Bastard
Lumpkin said that Matthew is in such a volatile age that he still cares about what other people think. He gets confused when strangers come up to him to ask him about his mother.
Speaking with Love What Matters, the Black mom said that one older white woman called the cops and child services because she assumed Lumpkin kidnapped Matthew from another family. She had to show his birth certificate to convince the police that she was telling the truth.
What hurts even more, is that Matthew also receives a lot of negativity in school from kids who make fun of him and his mom. But Adam, Lumpkin's eldest son, had a brilliant idea to dye his hair red as well so that the kids at school would stop teasing his brother. The mom is very grateful that Adam and Matthew are each other's best friends.
Tracing Back to the Source
Lumpkin said they have tried to trace back to five generations of her family and Matthew's father's family to figure out if someone else had red hair, but they have had no luck. The Black mom said that she and her boys would get a DNA test to determine their lineage and hopefully find the answers they are looking for.
"It is hard having interracial children," Lumpkin said. "When people question you at every turn. Look twice. Whisper."
She also hopes that people will be more aware of genetics before making rude comments that could impact her children for the rest of their life.
