Essay about Dreadlocks and Individualism - 1593 Words

Dreadlocks and Individualism Imagine having the flexibility of wearing your hair loose and flowing. . .maybe pulled back in a simple rubber band, or allowing your long locks to swing expressively in front of your face. Its a natural feeling and style, that epitomizes your love for individualism, they are your Dreadlocks. The art of dreadlocks can be traced back to the Ancient Caribbean islands such as Jamaica where they were fine tuned to perfection by Rastafarians. Here at Syracuse University, students give a new meaning to what it is like to be a part of the dreadlock society without having to be a Rastafarian, a black radicalist, or politically correct. In fact, being able to be different and sculpt the hair away from the average†¦show more content†¦This is a common assumption; However, it is not always accurate. Another stereotype that people link to having dreads according to Professor Safiya Henderson-Holmes is, People think I am anti-white, angry, black militant, or a drug user. . .I am always b eing searched extensively by cops when at airports. . .Im not taken seriously. Henderson-Holmes agrees that dreadlocks carry a lot of negative associations; however, she will not cut them until she gets tired of them. She also feels that her locks accentuates her value for life, to be creative, complex, live, love, and the pursuit of happiness. While these people who stray off the mainstream hair trends seen on campus, encounter the prejudices associated with having dreadlocks, there are always exceptions. Not everyone with dreadlocks is bound to face biases. As proven by Daoud Sekou Abeld who feels he doesnt face any prejudices as a result of his willing to be an individual, My dreads force them to bare witness to the fact that I know, practice, and understand who I am. So the question is asked, do people who wear dreadlocks have a stronger sense of identity than those who dont? Do they really have a deeper awareness for their culture? As stated by a popular magazine, Young Sisters and Brothers: theShow MoreRelatedNew Uniform and Appearance Standards in Army Regulation 670-1895 Words   |  4 Pagesbeing neat and conservative in uniform policies and military appearance. They desire to melt away individualism, present a trim professional appearance, and inspire both the espirit de corps and the morale of the fighting force. As such, tattoos on the arms and legs below the elbows and knees are no longer authorized. Also considered out of tolerance is thick braided or twisted female hair, dreadlocks, unnaturally parted hair, and cornrows of a certain size (Ernst 2014). Also, male Soldiers are nowRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 PagesRastafarian threat to its stability.8 Callam starts in the right direction but ends his discussion by interpr eting the Rastafarian movement in terms of Troeltschs church-sect typology, and thus he concludes that the Rastafarian emphases on individualism, sojourning, and repatriation militate against the emergence of formal organizational structures and, by implication, genuine routinization.9 These scholars have failed to afï ¬ rm the routinization of Rastafari primarily because they have uncriticallyRead MoreEssay on The Concept of Community3176 Words   |  13 Pagesinstance, ethnic groups are often recognized with their attires. Often people are recognized by their mode of dressing. In Scotland, men often wear kilts on occasions. Africans are also known to dress up in colorful printed attires. Rastafarians dreadlock and beard is also a means of recognition. To distinguish between a homosexual and heterosexual, earrings play a public figure as it discloses the individual sexual participation. A different symbolic group that is often recognized is the ‘ring asRead MoreThe Myth Of Racial Americ Color Blind Racism3433 Words   |  14 Pagesto it) they do not experience the devaluations, rendering their privilege invisible to them. An illustrative example is corporate (or white) standards of beauty or professional attire. That ‘white’ hair (smooth, straight, tame) is preferable to dreadlocks, or â€Å"kinky† natural black hair, the devaluation of black hair happens to those with black hair. Those with white hair do not realize that their hair takes on a privileged i.e. naturally acceptable status in a (white-dominated) corporate environmentRead MoreNone5184 Words   |  21 Pagesmales with shorter hair and less facial hair. Results of this study show that first impressions are very vital in today’s society. In society today, individualism is greatly encouraged. Individuals are often told as children to become a leader and not a follower. Individuals are often encouraged to be unique. Hair length is a type of individualism. Males with longer hair can be seen as unique, or they can also be seen as less masculine and unconformity of a gender norm. Long hair could be a symbol