JAYFORCE

We enjoy John Quinones’ segments on ABCNews called ‘What Would You Do?’ but this particular segment I don’t find to be racist at all.  It’s a little more nuanced than black customers simply refusing to get a haircut from a white barber. Some brothas have a tough time allowing a female barber to cut their hair as well for one simple reason. They don’t know them OR their work. Most brothas have a tough time giving a new barber a chance to cut their hair no matter what the gender, orientation, or race of the individual.  Usually it takes time for anyone to get to see someone’s work & develop a relationship with them before you begin to trust someone with your hair.  Especially if some haircuts are ‘Non-Refundable’ if the work performed was terrible.  Personally one of my barbers for a time was a white guy who still cuts hair in a barbershop with a mostly black customer base.   I was referred to him by a friend I trusted when my normal barber was out of town.  Needless to say I still go back to him on occasion.   There’s some guys who refuse to allow a woman to cut their hair if they don’t know how good they are at their craft.  Now does it matter to anyone in THIS barbershop the race or gender of the barber? Just check out this segment of ‘What Would You Do?”.  It’s a little more nuanced in not thoroughly knowing the the work of the individual who’s going to give you that haircut more than racist in my opinion.

Sure the White barber in Ice Cube’s hit comedy “Barbershop” got respect eventually but it took time to develop that relationship & trust.

– JAYFORCE

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