Well, I was talking about 20 years ago for the interview, but just 3 years ago we moved to Florida where ‘separate but almost equal most of the time’ is still the rule. You don’t think there are incidences of racial or social discrimination because you and your family fit in to the area you live. No one would exclude you or your kids because you are in the majority. I was pretty shock too, as we’d spent 15 years without incident because our family looked like everyone else, mixed. As soon as we were different, we were treated that way too.
At my office, groups self segregated by race and religion even though we were from all over the country but with a heavy concentration of southerners. The HS cafeteria was definitely self-segregated by race, especially the AA kids. My daughter wasn’t asked to date much, and I do feel it was at least in part because of her race. You, mom2, have often said there isn’t a discrimination or racial problem at Alabama because everyone is so nice. I know someone who is biracial and felt the discrimination immediately, so much so that she left the school for a while. She wasn’t prepared to be treated as different because she never had been. I was surprised when my daughter told me some of the things said to her. One of her best friends was from a family of real bigots. It was fine for my daughter to spend time at their house, but they would have died if their son wanted to date DD. Things were said directly to her about her race. Yes, people are nice and friendly, until you want more than just to say hello. Dating, socializing, marrying? Not so much.
My daughter didn’t want race to be an issue in college, either being in the majority or minority. She just wanted to BE. She has found a very good school with a lot of international students, and race, religion, and nationality don’t seem to be the focus or the majority. The students still self-segregate socially, but there seems to be enough crossover to make it not be an issue. She is the only minority on her team, but not in her classes, sorority, or dorm. She is just another student. In the town the college is in? She’s very much a minority.
I’m not saying the OP shouldn’t go to UAB, I said most schools are more liberal than the communities they are in, and that is especially true if he leaves Seattle for Iowa or Alabama or Texas. Austin Tx? Sure, great, welcoming of all types. El Paso? Maybe not so GLBT friendly. Look at the fight that Alabama just had about gay marriage. Yes, it’s allowed now but there are still almost 1/2 the population that feels it shouldn’t be. Be prepared. Just because people are from other areas of the country doesn’t make them liberal or accepting.