“Your ‘fro is extra poofy today. Is that why you’re so militant?”
That is the phrase that I hear on occasion at my job… and by “occasion” I of course mean, 2-3 times a week. I guess you can say that its my own fault for having the audacity to wear my hair “natural” in Corporate America. Yes, it’s nearly 2012, and our country is making strides in embracing equality for all, regardless of gender, color or creed. . .And of course by “embrace” I mean that middle class whites are now the new disenfranchised. They are “equally” getting shat on by the elites. Welcome to the Minority Life, Sucka! Yeah, we are the 99%, but we (and by “we” I mean those of us with some Brown in us) have been the 99%. The rest of y’all are just late to the club.
Unfortunately, with all of this movement to the proverbial mountain top, the understanding and acceptance of the Black coif is still elusive. I knew the risk I was taking when I entered the Corporate world a la natural. Yet I am still surprised when I hear comments such as this. I don’t understand how or why my Afro makes me inherently militant. This is not a game of “What Came First? The Afro or the Huey P. Newton inspired rants.” I did not become militant because my hair is natural, nor is my hair natural because I’m trying to stick it to The Man. I wear my hair the way I do because… well.. because I’m lazy. And also because I don’t feel like its necessary to accommodate the world’s perceptions when it comes to my personal grooming choices. How the world feels about my personal appearance doesn’t factor… at least not until I start my 2nd career as a part-time “video vixen.” 30s isn’t too old is it??
