Xavier University students launch campaign to support natural hair after teen is harassed at her high school

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Xavier University students launched a campaign to foster understanding that supports students of color and their natural hair, NOLA reports.

The university’s Mister and Miss Xavier joined the Student Government Association to launch the “I am not my hair” online movement to flood the internet with photos and stories about the experiences of students of color who are often sidelined because of their hairstyle choices and even pet like an animal by those seeking to touch their hair.

At issue is stories like the one of a girl who attended a New Orleans, Louisiana area, private school Christ the King Elementary, which banned a 6^th grader Black girl from attending because she rocked a braided hairstyle saying it violated the schools no “extensions, wigs, hairpieces of any kind” policy.

A video spread rapidly across social media showing a tearful Faith Fennidy, 11, after she was removed from class.

Her mother, Montrelle Fennidy, filed a lawsuit alongside Toyonita Parquet, whose daughter Tyrielle Davis has also not been allowed to return to the school because of her hairstyle. According to the suit, the school’s new “natural hair” policy resulted in the girls’ being harassed over their braided hair.

“It just goes to show people are still discriminatory towards each other even if it is something a simple as hair. They’re still finding a way to treat someone differently,” said Kelsey Green, the 82nd Miss Xavier. Green said the movement supports students and professionals who have come under fire for their natural hair. Often targeted are styles like dreadlocks, afros and braids.

Then there’s the story of a six-year-old dressed impeccably in his uniform for his first day of school was turned away at the door of a Florida Christian School and told he couldn’t attend because his dreadlocks didn’t fit the dress code.

Tia Smith, head of Xavier’s Mass Communication department, said they want the school to really address the problems. Smith is leading research that centers on media representations including women, gender, race and sexuality.

“You’re not out here alone, it’s not a lonely battle that you’re fighting. We have your back and we got ya’ll,” Smith said.

In middle school I was sent home and bullied for my hair. It doesn’t matter what’s coming out of your head, someone will judge it. Cut, color and style your hair how you please because it does not define you! #IAmNotMyHair @XULASGA pic.twitter.com/ctMpSkLdCD

— pumkin queen ? (@laurynalexis___) September 7, 2018

#IAmNotMyHair @XULASGA
Black people are beautifully unique in many ways, and our hair is one of them. Beauty standards of society have conditioned others to become uncomfortable when they see black people express themselves through hairstyles, but who cares! #Blackisbeautiful pic.twitter.com/Otgzb7PGIj

— Kai Imani (@kaiimaniii) September 7, 2018

#IAmNotMyHair @XULASGA What’s natural for me, may not be natural for you. I love my kinks & curls, that’s something that can never be changed. It wasn’t until I got a perm to “tame” my hair that I realized how beautiful my natural hair is. So you can look, just don’t touch. pic.twitter.com/G613igxNOa

— G Morgo? (@nostalgicmoe) September 7, 2018