Unprofessional. Messy. Out-of-control. Unkempt. Not well-groomed. Strange. Weird. Wrong. Ugly. Dirty. Hair
"Why don't you...?"
[Just conform to whatever expectations make the oppressors feel comfortable while reinforcing their sense of cultural dominance.]
For months, the Barbers Hill Independent School District in Houston,Texas has been waging war against a child (who's now 18 years old) because, in my opinion, they want to crush him into conformity by bullying him about his hair. Two weeks ago the Barbers Hill Superintendent used a full-page print ad to justify and endorse the continued bullying of this child by some adults who believe doing so is a worthwhile use of their time, energy and taxpayers' dollars.
This ongoing saga poked at my own past wounds related to my "ethnic" hair and expectations of conformity among people and in spaces where Blackness and anything that respects and celebrates the multiplicity of its expressions without apology become targets for ridicule, punishment and elimination.
Rebel. Maverick. Non-conformist. Trendsetter. Individualist. Cowboy up.
It seems as if American Exceptionalism is encouraged and praised less often when embodied in members of communities that are regularly shoved into the margins.
This child and this child's family are scheduled to have their day in court in February. Since a willingness to abide by the rules has already been exhibited, my prayer is that the law grants him the justice of vindication.
some of this week's reads
Tidbits 12 oz. bag of chocolate drizzle coconut macaroons, The Chosen One by Echo Brown, Random in Death by J.D. Robb, The Worst Best Man by Lucy Score, Hedging Your Bets by Jayne Denker, The Mom Com by Adriana Mather
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