Honoring Hispanic Traditions: Quinceaneras in Diverse Families

So, this is your one and only question from an account you just created with an IP address associated with multiple race-obsessed troll accounts. Obviously, this is not a sincere question but is all about saying that Hispanic and white are necessarily mutually exclusive. Just stop.

For the one millionth time! HISPANIC IS NOT A RACE. There are plenty of white, brown, black, and Asian Hispanics. When you understand that, come back and ask because clearly, you don’t understand your roots.

Mixed Marriages and Quinceaneras

In a mixed marriage where one parent is Latino and the other is not, having a Quinceanera usually depends on the traditions of the Latino parent’s family. Some girls from mixed families compromise and have a fancy Sweet 15 party instead.

What Would Be My Advice?

Honey, I have no Hispanic blood in me, but if your mother is Hispanic and I am your white dad, I would tell you:

It’s OK to choose whatever theme you want. I think you should include everything you missed out on. Ask your mother, sweetheart. If Mom ain’t happy, no one is happy, and both of us are in a lot of trouble!! :-)

Why Not Have a Seiseanera?

Why not have a Seiseanera? It seems like a better idea in many ways. While kids today mature sexually at an earlier age than in past generations, society has become so complex that full-fledged adulthood has less and less to do with sexual maturity and more to do with adult competence. In the United States, the age of consent is typically 16-18 for young women.

As a mark of maturity, fifteen has gone the way of the dodo. Adult responsibilities begin with learner’s permits for driving at 15, licenses at 16, military enlistment at 18, and full legal majority at 21. A quinceanera might be regarded as a relic handed down from an earlier time when most of us lived in farming communities, there were no antibiotics, and life was uncertain.

Is Marriage or Pregnancies Still the Focus?

By all means, get married and get pregnant, but this is no longer 1910. If that’s not on your immediate agenda, you can simply change the number of candles on your cake. What would make me really happy is if you started a trend.

Along with all the other good reasons for a later celebration, a sixteen-year-old is a better dancing partner. With these changing times, it is important to celebrate the essence of Hispanic traditions while accommodating the diverse backgrounds and preferences of all family members.