Besides the everyday struggle of getting "validation" from the general population, Naturals also face a more problematic issue: the systematic implementation of institutionalized natural hair discrimination. Maybe that's a bit of a mouthful but it speaks to a very real problem that marginalizes our hair choices and deems them inferior.
This article gives 11 examples of discriminatory practices in regard to natural hair…a natural hair war declaration of sorts:
http://atlantablackstar.com/2013/12/11/11-examples-highlighting-the-war-against-natural-black-hair/
One word that often comes up in the whole debate is PROFESSIONALISM. The argument is that these styles (braids, locks, afros etc) shouldn't be worn because they fail to meet the standards of professionalism within the workplace or school setting. I stand to challenge that idea with a question of my own: WHY is it that this standard - which excludes the styles that NATURALLY grow out of our heads - has been established in the first place? Racism does play a large role (despite our sometimes desire to believe we live in a post-racist society). The "professional" standard aims to emulate the way hair naturally grows for the majority. Most "black hair" is not a part of that majority so the idea is to perm it, to weave it, to relax it, to conform more to the standard of professionalism, that is to say, more to the standard of the majority. That expectation has long permeated our community of thought to the point where many don't accept "black hair" as beautiful (as demonstrated by Sheryl Underwood's comment on "The Talk" mentioned in the 4th of the 11 examples above).
I can identify with the crying girl in the top picture…although it never brought me to tears, I was often teased and berated in my younger years for my hair. And although I mostly receive compliments and for my hair now, there is still a snide comment every now and then as a reminder of my lacking conformism ("Do you like your hair like that?" "You'd have such pretty hair if it wasn't in dreadlocks." "Are you ever gonna cut that"). Luckily I've never dealt with it on an institutional/policy level, but more and more cases of it are popping up everywhere even in today's more "naturally-accepting" era.
Have you ever experienced discrimination at work or at school or even in public because of your hair?
Have you seen someone treated a certain way because they rocked a natural?
Would you change your hair if your job said it was no longer acceptable?
- "Mo hair"
Rahkua Ishakarah
No comments:
Post a Comment