Beards have a ‘racially fraught history.’
Alrighty then.
Who knew that such an amazing thing as a beard (true story, this editor LOVES THEM) could somehow be racist? Then again, it is The Atlantic we’re talking about here so take this with a grain of salt.
The Racially Fraught History of the American Beard, by Sean Trainor https://t.co/LdQq6JMnaA pic.twitter.com/ODGqLFiqWY
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) September 2, 2018
From The Atlantic:
It may seem strange that barbering, which required practitioners to hold razors to their customers’ throats, was dominated by men of color in Revolutionary America. But the reasons for this were simple. Before the American Revolution, free white workers were few and their labor was expensive—especially in the southern colonies. So slaveholders in need of grooming often turned to their enslaved workforces.
Thus, thousands of former slaves—many with experience as valets, manservants, and barbers—were foisted upon a market that offered them little in the way of employment, apart from dangerous jobs in manual labor and demanding positions in household service. One of the few jobs that presented even faint hopes for prosperity was barbering. Not surprisingly, it was open almost exclusively to men.
*sigh*
So what, are the men with beards now supposed to pay some sort of reparation for their ancestors who had beards? Is that where we’re at now? You know what, we shouldn’t give these yahoos any ideas.
Recommended
Damn white people and their…
*shuffles deck, draws card*
…facial hair. https://t.co/nVi8fPoMP2
— ??? ?????? (@RantyAmyCurtis) September 3, 2018
Right?!
Heh.
I have a beard because I don't want anyone to talk to me. It usually works unless I meet a beard bunny.
— Mortis (@WitchyDruss) September 2, 2018
Sounds legit.
I dig history. That article was just about making today’s white, bearded men into villains
— Donna (@Donna__Bee) September 2, 2018
Oh God. What are you left-wing neurotics obsessing about now?
— Damn, I'm smirky. (@corrcomm) September 2, 2018
MUH BEARDS.
You're doing important work in the field of *squints* identifying racist beards.
— prop op (@ProperOpinion) September 2, 2018
Down with the racist beards!
— ImpatientlyWaitingFor⚾️ (@buckeyecapsfan) September 2, 2018
https://twitter.com/WilliamNJones/status/1036323512573730816
https://twitter.com/billhobbs/status/1036427414832926720
D’oh!
And damn, that is one awesome beard.
Damn white people and their…
*turns ball over* pic.twitter.com/HzDN90yMwE
— Quantum Flux (@QuantumFlux1964) September 2, 2018
https://twitter.com/jtLOL/status/1036402053051035648
https://twitter.com/holm_stephan/status/1036388594720681991
— Josey Cogburn (@amcap76) September 3, 2018
And we’re done here.
Heh.
PS: LONG LIVE BEARDS!
Related:
Proud to be an AMERICAN! Buzz Aldrin just punched #FirstMan right in the MOUTH and it’s glorious
Join the conversation as a VIP Member