BLACK WOMEN WEARING BONNETS IN PUBLIC | ANTI-BLACKNESS AND RESPECTABILITY POLITICS?

The bonnet debate is resurfacing. I received a lot of backlash for my unpopular-ish opinion.

If you're active on social media, you likely saw a controversial post from a black-owned Brazilian Wax Spa, in which the owner refuses service to those wearing pajamas and a bonnet. This post resurfaced the discussion that MoNique raised last year: Black women wearing bonnets in public. Should women be allowed to wear bonnets in public? Should wearing bonnets in public be normalized? Is wearing bonnets at the airport okay? What about wearing a bonnet and pajamas for quick store runs?

There were split viewpoints on this for several reasons. Is this a matter of maintaining a respectable appearance? Or are there underlying tones of anti-blackness and respectability politics? Today's topic will likely ruffle a few feathers and that's okay. Bring your talking points and let's discuss!


KEY TERMS:
Anti-Blackness: Behaviors, attitudes and practices of people and institutions that work to dehumanize black people in order to maintain white supremacy. Anti-blackness can also be internalized and might show up in black people or black communities in the form of colorism, an elevation of white culture or attempts to separate oneself from black cultural norms.

Respectability Narratives: Representations of marginalized individuals meant to depict them as sharing similar traits, values, and morals that align with the dominant group’s definition of “respectability.”

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CHAPTER TIMES FOR THOSE WITH A SHORTER ATTENTION SPAN:
0:00 - INTRO
1:26 - THE BONNET DEBATE IS BACK
2:25 - "MY BONNET IS MY BUSINESS"
3:20 - ANTI-BLACKNESS & RESPECTABILITY POLITICS
4:16 - "BLACK WOMEN ARE ALWAYS JUDGED"
5:10 - RESPECTABILITY NARRATIVES
6:53 - APPEARANCE MATTERS
8:58 - COMMUNITY MENTORING IS DEAD
10:58 - TALK TO ME IN THE COMMENTS!

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KEYWORDS:
bonnets in public, black women anti-blackess, black women respectability politics, wearing bonnets in public, stop wearing bonnets in public, monique bonnet, bonnets at airport, black women appearance