DREADLOCKS
Hair is one of the main ways we identify ourselves in our society. The style, the color, the length are all factors of how we present ourselves. The societal norm for men is to have short hair and for women to have long hair. Yet for generations people have been going against this by experimenting with what they can do with their hair and create a transcendentalist approach in how to present themselves. One style of hair that has been becoming more and more popular, yet still not accepted by society is dreadlocks.
Dreadlocks first originated in Africa then slowly became popular within other countries, especially the United States, by ionic stars who promoted their dreads, such as Bob Marley. People believed that this new hairstyle was considered hip and unoriginal, and that is why it drew the eye of others. Yet, some people shied away from this way of presenting oneself, because some thought that this made people look messy, dirty, and unmotivated. These stereotypes towards people with dreads has now further categorized people with dreads as uneducated and even associated them with the involvement of drugs. These assumptions about people with dreads are untrue and can make the lives of people who have them more difficulty. One with dreadlocks may have a harder time getting a job due to the harsh stereotypes that follow them around daily, only due to how they wear their hair.
Author Paul Fussell once said, "If you refuse to dress like others, you will be ridiculed..." This is true because people who have dreadlocks are considered a minority in comparison to people who don't. They don't and shouldn't be ridiculed due to how they present themselves. One should have the liberty to do as they like and not be judged nor denied an opportunity by being themselves.
