News
Morehouse College Implements Appropriate Attire Policy
Morehouse College, in an attempt to curb Hip Hop attire and cross dressing, has implemented what it describes as an ‘appropriate attire’ policy.
While I find the concept of a dress code in a university setting appalling, what i find even more egregious is the national reaction to the policy itself.
The policy has received backlash at for only being discriminatory towards gays. This double standard is what primarily bothers me.
Ignoring the hip hop provisions of the policy by the populous serves as a tacit acceptance that clothing (of all aspects of hip hop culture to lash out at) determines character and donning a bandana or cap, or sagging your jeans is an unacceptable social more.
This type of double standard was also very evident when Eminem made his foray into hip hop. Lyricism aside, he only stood out from other hip hop artists because of the color of his skin. His misogynist rants and homophobic invectives were par for the course. Yet the community at large railed against Eminem, while his contemporaries, (50 Cent, for example) received little to no ridicule.
Morehouse, as a conservative, southern, all boy’s school, is fully capable of pushing this policy on its students. But it defeats the overarching purpose of a university, to build an environment where a young person has the freedom to cultivate a sense of self, and grow into the person they are to become. Perhaps Morehouse should spend its $128M endowment focusing on improving the quality of its education (more here) and not micromanaging its students personal expression and growth.
You might also like
|
|
|
|
|












