Hair…

This poem was inspired by two reports I read recently (unverified)- One of a school girl ridiculed for wearing a hijab (apparently her job was yanked off and she was told her hair was beautiful, again unverified) and another of a schoolgirl disbarred from playing soccer because of hair beads (apparently the mom was not told hair beads were a hazard during play). While I fully acknowledge that the truth may not be reflected in the way these stories have been presented, there is no doubt that women are held to an unrealistic standard regarding their hair- discrimination on the basis of hair has been banned in some places.

Every girl or a woman’s hair

Is her business, why should someone else care?

*

Hey, I don’t have hair that is light and straight

Why is my hair used to discriminate

Or at least draw attention to me in connotation negative

Why do, with certain “hair” standards, I have to live?

My natural locks I should be able to

Wear with pride, and not go through

Caustic hair straighteners to try to achieve

The hair texture that is the norm perceived

Just so no one would call me ungroomed

Only straight hair looks professional, it is assumed…

My little girl adorns her braids with beads

She can be disbarred from soccer, while her needs

Are completely ignored, so is the impact on her

She learns to be ashamed of her hair forever

**

Religion is a matter personal, in a state secular

I should be able to cover my hair without fear

With a hijab, no one should force me to

Remove my hijab- it is true

That the hijab is a part of my identity

Why would you want to take that away from me

You say it distracts you, you are curious to find out

The color and texture of my hair- that knowledge you have to do without

*

We own our hair, and style it our way

Your standards of neat hair are irrelevant today

Curly, braided, covered- we groom our hair the way we desire

We can, if we want, a hair revolution inspire