My first reaction to a recent story about the Outdoor Recreation Center in Wendell, N.C., and its stated pool guidelines that “No baggy pants, no dread-locks/weaves/extensions or revealing clothes will be permitted or you will be asked to leave” was one of whimsy; it seemed so ridiculous. That is until my 16-year-old daughter, who has swum competitively and worn locs for a decade, quickly stated her displeasure with the rules with an emphatic “that’s racist” (and I won’t state the descriptor that she added).
Department of African & African American Studies
