WEARING RESPECTABILITY

Think of some of your core values. Now think of how much the dominant culture in this country has served to shape those values. Trippy, isn't it?

Think about why you feel "embarrassed" by folks who look like you when they are outside in their pajamas, or speaking loudly in public, or using language that hasn't been deemed "appropriate". It isn't because it's embarrassing. It's because you've been convinced what one person does defines who YOU are and the idea of not being seen as one of the special ones upsets you. That's when you know the manipulation has settled in your very bones. That's when you know you've lost yourself.

I'm amazed by the number of my people who think disparate treatment based on one's "origins" can be combated by wearing blouses, not sagging, not wearing a bonnet in public, etc... None of those things make your kids better prepared for the classroom. None of those things keep you safe if you're pulled over. None of those things will keep some random person from calling you a derogatory name or from discriminating against you regarding housing, banking, or employment. Outfits and hairstyles don't combat these issues because those were never the causes. Do you actually think hundreds of years of slavery was about the kind of outfits we wore and whether or not our pants were at our waists? Always address the root, fam, because obsession over appearance ain't it.