Jenny Johnston at the Daily Mail from the U.K. shares about the remarkable story of the Nigerian couple who gave birth to a blonde-haired, blue-eyed baby girl. She writes:
“Many babies are hailed as ‘miracles’. It seems that Nmachi might be one of the few who truly deserves the title. in genetic terms, she is indeed most unusual – if not unheard of. For the past week, since news of her arrival broke, the scientific community has been scratching its head.
As he gazes on his baby daughter, Ben sums up the dilemma the family finds itself in.
‘Everyone wants to know how a couple as black as us can produce a baby as white as this. I’ve never heard of it before. Outside the delivery room, when the reality was just settling in I remember thinking: “Someone will be able to explain this to us.” But it hasn’t happened yet. I don’t know if we’ll ever know why.'”
Even as a kid, I have always been fascinated by genetic anomalies. It could be the result of hearing about how my Dad’s Mom had 12 fingers and 12 toes when she was born.
Although she has fair skin, little Nmachi will still most likely refer to herself as British Nigerian just like her brother and sister will do. I realize this case is highly unusual, but the blurring of ethnic lines has become more and more common.
Now that many Caucasian Americans refer to themselves as coming from a European background rather than Italian American or Irish American as many did just a couple of generations ago, how will kids refer to themselves in the near future when they have grandparents from European, Asian, Latin, and African descent?
