It was the decade when black American women were finally being recognized, accepted, and appreciated.
Halle Berry was considered the standard of beauty, Janet Jackson the gold stamp of sexy and Lauryn Hill the indoctrinator in chief was singing songs of girl power on another level.
In my twenties, I cut my hair to the shortest crop possible to mimic Halle Berry of course. And when I walked into a room, I felt powerful!
I was aware that the unique shape of my face, my big eyes and high cheekbones afforded me the opportunity to embrace and love my look in a way that other black women before me simply could not. I was walking through an age that had begun to appreciate black women.
I’ve heard microaggressions my entire life! Statements like, “you’re pretty for a black girl” or “I like your hair it’s so puffy.” Also, things like “we really need you on our team because you’re black.”
These microaggressions always seem to come with the caveat that I should be happy that they approve of me.
Most recently I started wearing my hair natural. And my white girlfriend said to me “I like your hair, it’s so naughty.” How is my naturally curly hair, you know the way God made me, naughty?
Because of microaggressions, black people in America are taught early on to “Code Switch.” Code Switching is when you have to switch up who you are to appease the ideals of someone else, or when you have to dress and talk a certain way to defeat a stereotype about you.
Some examples of Code Switching for black people growing up in America are...Having to over pronounce our words, not being able to wear a hoodie at night, or your hat backward for that matter. Having to speak softly and without passion for fear of being called angry and black. The list goes on...
Do you have any idea what it is like to be asked to Code Switch by the world around you? Being asked not to embrace your full self, or being asked to defy your own culture to appease someone else’s? I do.
We talked about it. Microaggressions. Code Switching. Learn about it, internalize it, and let’s be a part of the change that we want to see.
Editor’s Note: Conay Huizar is a Scottsdale resident and member of the city's Human Relations Commission.
