My third post in just as many days...wow maybe I'm being overly inspired or overly pissed...but hey, I can do whatever I want, this really is my space...
Today was a rather eventful Tuesday in the Harris County Criminal Justice Center. I was asked by one of my partners to go get an offense report that he requested from the District Attorney's office. Well, that turned into a whole ordeal that I won't really get into details about but I got carded for the second time in three weeks. It took for my partner to call the front desk and validate my credentials in order for me to get the damn offense report and when I asked the woman at the desk why she put me through such a rigamaro, she replied that my hair is not the type that she would expect to see on an attorney. This remark greatly upset me, but I just shrugged it off and moved on. So then when I arrived at the elevators, I ran into another woman and engaged in small talk with her;
Me: How are you doing?
Woman: Fine, and yourself?
Me: I'm okay just trying to make it.
Woman: Me too. Speaking of making it, you just missed three elevators that were going down.
Me: It's okay I'll just wait for another. Can I ask you a question?
Woman: Sure.
Me: If you saw me walking down the hallway, would you take me for an attorney?
Woman: No, because of your hair, it's not really the conservative look that most lawyers go for
Elevator arrives
Woman: Well, here's my elevator, you have a nice day
So on the elevator by myself, I am thinking of the song, I Am Not My Hair, previous blog postings, and I'm starting to wonder if my "individuality" will be a burden on my success. I'm sitting there feeling rather distraught because if people I interact with in the courthouse cannot take me serious as an attorney, how would I ever expect the legal community, and potential clients to. The elevator then stops on the 19th floor and I meet up with another one of my partners, and I tell him about the events of earlier. He laughed and asked for the races of the women (the receptionist was Asian, the elevator lady was white), then proceeded to tell me that dreadlocks are a symbol of strength for our people, something that we culturally identify with. They are often misunderstood, and as a result, are dismissed as inappropriate. He went on further, that he cannot recall seeing any other male criminal defense attorney in Harris County who wears their hair like I do with mine, and that it would be noticed by potential clients because it sets me apart from the field. So now that people think that I can't possibly be a real attorney, I'm embarking on another one of my asshole-ish tirades to prove them all wrong and laugh all the way to the bank, REAL TALK (TYPE), lol
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1 comment:
In my heart and soul I completely agree that neither you, nor anyone should have to assimilate for a career or other pursuits. However, logic tells us otherwise and I suppose that I do to a certain extent understand that sometimes we have to play the role or look the part. Or we at least have to be willing to compromise some business or whatever we pursue. Cause people are going to judge. It is an interesting notion that maybe you can be the face of and/or voice those who like you are often viewed incorrectly for something as trivial as hair.
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