I am not a Stereotype

Recently I saw a college friend I hadn’t seen in over 10 years. It was great to see her however something she said to me stuck out. First thing she said when she saw me was “wow, look at you all thugged out”. I responded “Thugged out? How do you figure that?” She said because of my locks, tattoos, jeans, and shoes I would be labeled a thug.

I’m not sugars puff by any means, nor am I a gangster or thug… I am simply me. I grew my locks as a symbol of strength during hard time in my life. My tattoos tell my story of emotional struggles and pain. I wear Levis because I like the way they fit and refuse to buy a $300 pair of jeans. Everybody that knows me knows I am a fan of Chuck Taylors. I have been since the early 90’s.

So how could someone ever think I look like a thug? It all comes from the way black men between the ages of 20 and 40 are depicted on TV. TV is brainwashing our society and dictating the perceptions others create. To many, perception is reality.

Instead of creating a blueprint of whom or what a person is, expect nothing and accept everything. Let them show you who they are and accept them for it.

A book cannot be judged by its cover, nor a man by his outward appearance. I think Andre 3000 said it best in this exert from Aquemini

-          “Now question is every broths with dreads for the cause?
Is every brotha with golds for the fall? Naw
So don't get caught in appearance
it's Outkast Aquemini another Black experience”