Boys Are the New Girls?

(WARNING:this blog is partially written in slang)

So i had a conversation with one of my friends...and she said that "men are so dramatic...boys are the new girls...they should take off their thongs and put some boxers on..."

This is my comment to her.

"Some dudes express their feelings in different ways...society has painted this vivid picture that is derived from the traditional sense that men are suppose to be "hard", strong, insensitive beings. If we as a people are willing to accept this conventional ideology of the male's persona, we also have to accept the stereotype of the woman - emotional, fragile, naggy, weak. Today, males and females are enhancing their personality traits. We as a people should accept the change! Think about it...all yall girls can easily say that men are acting like females bc we are becomin more emotional and sensitve...we can say yall are actin more masculine bc yall are actin more independent; yall are going to school, getting jobs, and maintaining careers- all in which are traditional traits for men. So i can easily tell you to to 'quit wearin boxers and put a thong on'...lol... but i won't cuz i'm not misogynistic male...lol...i love where we are going as a people. We are adopting each other traits in order to be a more egalitarian society. So I say...lets just accept the change that some males and females have endured..bc change can be good...and if you don't like the change..tough."

It's Natural to Go Natural

Many African Americans females at UNC are going natural. Everywhere you look you see black females rocking there "tiny weenie afro", their Bantu knots, or their temporary weaves that broadcasts their "new growth" of culture. Many people of are probably wondering what going natural actually is. Going natural is when one- particularly an African American woman - goes without getting relaxers and they cut the relaxed hair off.

Many African American females go natural for two main reasons: it is healthier for their hair and it gets allows them to relate with their culture. Hair is an important historical feature for African Americans; in the past it determined your status. Many people believed that "good hair" was defined as wavy or straight. As a result many individuals, one including Madam CJ Walker, invented and revolutionized hair care products that unraveled the tight curls of African American hair and conformed to society.

Hair straightening has been said to arise from an aspiration to conform to the Eurocentric perception of beauty. Some people even suggest that the concept of "good hair" orginated from multi-racial slaves who possesed wavy or straight hair due to sexual intercourse with white people. Today, African Americans are going natural all over the United States. They are embracing their culture and their past. Nowadays, it's natural to go natural!

Mix Relations

One of my friends that attend Carolina has endured much ridicule from her peers because she is bi-racial: her mother is white and her father is black. They call her Oreo, as well as other names that illustrate a mix individual. Although she laughs it off, she is insulted by the names. Many people forget about the racism that occurs to bi-racial people. They endure a lot of discrimination not only in the outside world, but also from some of their family members; most of the discrimination comes from family members that disagreed with the marriage.

Another one of my friend’s states, "It is a shame that we endure discrimination from both races from which we were derived."

Do Not Put Me in a Box!

Yes, I am African American, but that does NOT define who I am! Just because I am black doesn't mean I drink sweet tea, play certain sports, or listen to certain music. News flash sweet tea is a Southern thing not a black thing, and I haven't really listened to a rap song since the 90s . Random people come to my face "spitting" lyrics like I know the next line - Eight out of ten of the times I don't.

I went to the Barber Shop the other day to get a haircut. I wore a Carolina shirt and a pair cargo pants with my Carolina blue Jordan's. This man saw me, and the first thing he said to me was, "Are you on the football team?" I said, "No." Then he asked, "What about the basketball team?" I said, "No." Then, he said if I played any sports. And again, he received the same answer. Do we leave in a society were people are judged by their physical appearance and not their works?

Our color does not define who we are. As a people, we all have differences and similarities, and this transcends beyond race - Do not put me in a box!

Apathetic Views Are Pathetic

Two of my friends went to the Stone Center on Thursday and toured the facility. They asked the man at the head desk, "What is suppose to be going on in the upcoming weeks?", and he responded, "Not that many engagements, mostly practices." That BIG center is NOT being used to the best of its abilities. The library in the Stone Center is basically new because it barely used; there are even books that have not even been open.

Some people don't even know what the Stone Center is: it is a building for African Americans to learn more about their culture and the history of their ancestry. The African American students in this school should use the Stone Center more frequently- including myself. How many of you can actually say that you have fully toured The Stone Center? If you can, I have another question for you: Can you say that you actually used the facilities and the resources for your own benefit?

The Stone Center holds the answers to the questions that many people have about African American history. The question is, are we going to access it. Let's attempt to use the resources that was granted to use by the University to grasp a more informed outlook of the past, and a envision a prosperous view of our future!