Being Counted

So, we filled out our census. But it was bittersweet in three main ways. First, Mama was listed first and so I had to then fill in my relationship to her via bubble choices. Well, legally, I'm her wife in Connecticut but, on a federal level, i.e. census level, we have absolutely no legal relationship. Ouch. But I checked wife anyway. Fuck 'em. Secondly, for the two slots for the kids, we also had to check their relationship to Mama, which legally is "adopted." Something we rarely think about. And always causes Mama to pause. Why can't it just say "child"--does the census really care if the relationship is biological or not? Fuck 'em. Finally, while we were proud to be able to fill in multiple race bubbles for the kids--Chinese and white (hmmmm, those aren't exactly parallel, are they?!)--we were sorry that President Obama again rejected a biracial identity and chose only African-American. Though, there are compelling historical reasons for that, I know, so I won't continue my twice-repeated refrain about him . . . .