So I was labelled a ‘stroppy teenager of colour’ by a barrister for simply calling out a discriminatory uniform policy that was used to make me feel that my natural afro hair was unreasonable. Here is my response: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9207959/Barrister-called-woman-stroppy-teenager-colour-sacked.html

It took 3.5 years for my case to have any form of conclusion. I suffered with anxiety and panic attacks when going into school because of the feat of being sent home. My yearbook photo is me at 11 with straight hair, I had teachers waiting for me whilst sitting GCSEs.

I would love for anyone to explain to me what ‘racial privilege’ I was experiencing when I was asked if I had “ever heard of relaxers” or told that I could have “bright blue hair as long as it was smaller”. When a photo of me with my natural hair was taken down in a classroom.

Where was my ‘racial privilege’ when a teacher put their hands in my hair in a PE changing room? When I was told my hair was a ‘distraction’ or could ‘make contact with’ other students whilst seeing other students get to wear their hair however they wanted to.

If standing up for my right to have the same uniform policy as everyone else in the school (long hair tied back for PE and Science) makes me a ‘stroppy teenager’ then I am proud to be one.

Thank you to Jon for reminding me just how much I went through because of that policy, and how hard I need to work to make sure that school uniform policies are ‘required to accommodate cultural differences’. Nobody should be forced to assimilate in order to make you comfortable.

Finally please sign up for @TheHaloCode and follow @worldafroday, I am so happy to be involved with both of these, let’s please try to stop this from happening to more children in the future!

^ forgot to add @thehalocltv