RAINBOW ENGLISH MEDIUM BANS AFRO

It is painful how every day we seem to drive away from our culture and we let those who influence such get away with it. Historically, Africans, as in every culture, developed hairstyles from our natural hair that defined status, or identity, in regards to age, ethnicity, wealth, social rank, marital status, religion, fertility, adulthood, and death.

Hair was carefully groomed by those who understood the aesthetic standard, as the social implications of hair grooming were a significant part of community life. Dense, thick, clean, and neatly groomed hair was something highly admired and sought after. Hair groomers possessed unique styling skills, allowing them to create a variety of designs that met the local cultural standards. Hair was usually dressed according to local culture. we seem to be loosing our sense of culture due to people always looking down on natural hair as if its bad hair. 

I personally don’t understand how Afro hairstyle affects anything with the learning environment. Schools should focus on producing excellent leaders of tomorrow rather than who wears what kind of hairstyle to school. If I may go on to ask what is wrong with Afro, I believe we use a lot of things to identify ourselves and hair included, how then do you feel the right to tell one how to express them self especially after they decided to not go to a government school and pay thousands of pulas to learn freely, comfortably and flexibly.

This is a true violation of freedom of expression. This disappoints even more when in actual fact the school identifies its self as a multicultural school. Indians, Chinese, American just to mention a few are allowed to wear their hair however they pleases why can’t Africans be allowed to embrace their culture and wear their hair as it is. It’s not like Afro is something you walk in the saloon to do to your hair its natural hair what are you implying is wrong with Afro. Why not say it should be tidy and worn in its natural color or black.

Where is the multicultural aspect in now telling a specific group of people to stop wearing their hair naturally rather conform to the western culture? We are Africans it’s high time we are allowed to embrace it. What is the school trying to teach our future leaders that Afro is not formal, that it’s not ok and that long straight hair is and braiding your hair is? One should be able to express themselves how they want as long as it does not affect or infuence anyone negatively.

This whole no Afro issue is going to divide and agitate pupils because some will feel discriminated and oppressed something our fore fathers has fought so hard in eliminating. People deserve to feel equal everywhere they are, we should stop moving back in time and realize that we live in a new age and era where we have rights and one of them being freedom of expression.

I continue to ask, what is wrong with Afro and how does it affect ones learning process, after all it’s just natural hair.

INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE

Its been a while since I posted something so I would like to apologise to all my readers for that. today I will be addressing intimate partner violence.

An intimate partner is a person with whom one has a close personal relationship that can be characterized by the following: Emotional connectedness. Regular contact. Ongoing physical contact and/or sexual behavior.

Intimate partner violence describes physical, sexual, or psychological harm by a current or former intimate partner or spouse. This type of violence can occur among heterosexual or same-sex couples.

Violence by an intimate partner is linked to both immediate and long-term health, social, and  economic consequences. Factors at all levels -individual, relationship, community, and societal -contribute to intimate partner violence. Preventing intimate partner violence requires reaching a clear understanding of those factors, coordinating resources, and fostering and initiating change in individuals, families, and society.

Types of Intimate Partner Violence

· Physical violence is the intentional use of physical force (e.g., shoving, choking, shaking, slapping, punching, burning, or use of a weapon, restraints, or one's size and strength against    another person) with the potential for causing death, disability, injury, or physical harm.

· Sexual violence the use of physical force to compel a person to engage in a sexual act        unwillingly, whether or not the act is

completed.

· Threats of physical or sexual violence communicate the intent to cause death, disability, injury, or physical harm through the use of words, gestures, or weapons.

Psychological/emotional violence 

Traumatizes the victim by acts, threats of acts, or coercive tactics (e.g., humiliating the      victim, controlling what the victim can and cannot do, withholding information, isolating the victim from friends and family, denying access to money or other basic resources). In most cases, emotional violence has been preceded by acts or threats of physical or sexual violence.

Stalking is often included among types of  intimate partner violence. Stalking generally refers to harassing or threatening behavior that an individual engages in repeatedly, such as sending the victim unwanted presents

Equality in relationships means that partners will have to cooperate and contribute to the relationship or household without being      intimidated or without intimidating the other partner.

THE CYCLE OF IPV 

This is the cross generational transfer of violence. They start tension due to disagreement then violence and then the honey moon phase where the perpetrator sweet talks the victim or buy him/her gift then the cycle repeats

We can not over look sexuality when dealing with IPV

Sexuality involves

Feelings

Desire

Intercourse

Expression

These four are somehow interlinked i.e. sensuality, intimacy, identity and sexual health.

SENTUALITY: is how our bodies and get and give pleasure.

INTIMACY/RELATINSHIPS: is the part of sexuality that deals with relationships.

SEXUAL HEALTH: involves our behavior related to producing children, enjoy sexual   behaviors, and maintaining our sexual and   reproductive organs.

SEXUALITY TO CONTROL OTHERS:

Unfortunately, many people use sexuality to violate someone else or to get something from another person. E.g. rape is used as an act of war or for supremacy.

IDENTITY

The following things contribute to identity in one way or the other:

Biological sex- male, female and intersex

Gender roles- masculine and feminine

Gender identity- how one feels about themselves ie masculine or feminine or neither    regardless of their gender and or sex.

Sexual orientation- who one is attracted to  sexually, intimately and romantically

 Heterosexual        Bisexual         Homosexual

EFFECTIVE INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

One realizes this if through their communication they get feedback, if they get results, if they are understood, if the information is     interpreted well.

We were taught how to deal with someone shouting at you and that it is important to cool off.

Pointers to help one not to be victims or      perpetrators of IPV. Which are ;

• Constructive communication
• Control temper and dealing with emotions without being violent
•  Power of introspection (empathy)

DO NOT BE A VICTIM OR PERPETRATOR OF IPV BE AN ACTIVIST AND HELP FIGHT AGAINST IPV