Anusha Sinha Week 2

 A Hair Piece- Perspectives on the Intersection of Race and Gender

This article focuses on how Paulette M.Caldwell reflects on the unfair treatment faced by black women through her personal story of being one and by referring to the Rogers v American Airlines case. The author sheds light on the fact that how legal precedents have also contributed in placing black females in positions of discrimination.The piece begins with the author narrating her personal story and connecting it to a wider context to explain how the American legal system has failed to acknowledge the foundation of intersectionality, that is, how they aren’t able to accept that racism and sexism can be related. Prohibition of braiding of hair during employment is just an example of how black females are at such disadvantaged position in the society. Such prejudices nurtured by the society shows interplay of race, sex and culture. It is the black females who suffer due to racist interpretation of western standards of beauty, and are condemned and looked down upon for associating with their indigenous culture. Such a prejudicial treatment needs to be challenged which can be done through simply acknowledging and spreading information regarding the unfair practices. Only by defying such social constructs can we make a the world a better place for everyone and regain the humanity lost in the creation of such evils.