Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Speaking For Millions

I'm really sick of these pseudo-studies on black women.

The latest study, I guess in an effort to get into the mind of the black woman, is an attempt to understand why black women don't go to the gym.  Black Women, Exercise and hair

I'm sick of the way these research papers and studies are conducted.  It's like, they take the smallest "random sample size" they can find, and just...run with it. Really, Dr. McMichael? REALLY HOMEGIRL?!?! *eye roll* As a scholar, a dermatologist, and from the reading, it seems a black woman, you should know better and should have put together a better study.

According to the 2010 census, 42 MILLION Americans identified themselves as African-American, with 28% of that 42 MILLION being black, single females. Keep in mind, I'm not counting married/divorced/widowed black women, just single.  By those numbers, that means that almost 12 Million of the original 42 Million counted are black female, and you mean to tell me, that this craptastic study that only talked to 103 women is the standard for what black females think about exercise?

"Towel Cheese" *in my Legend voice*

First off, if you want to address the situation of why many black women don't go to the gym, your study should have hit each area of the United States.  Black women in the North, West, and East appear to go to the gym more than those in the south, and my little hypothesis is based on simple conversations and social network statuses.  The South, my home, has a different approach to health PERIOD. Keep in mind, Mississippi and Alabama were ranked the most obese states in the union, and this was based on total population, not a fractured part of said population.  Second, can we address the fact that more and more black women are now natural? And the ones who aren't natural wear weaves, so what "hair" are we really "worried" about. Finally, let's address this sample size again. Like, it blows me. REALLY?!?!? 103 people. One-oh-three. They didn't even sample .000000000001% of the black female population of North Carolina, let ALONE the black female population in general.

And what blows me the most? What REALLY blows me...is that black men are reading this study and co-signing it all the way to the bank.

*le sigh*

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Silly Policies Are For The Birds

So, KTBS-TV out of Shreveport, Louisianan fired their meteorologist for failure to comply with company policy.


She's gorge! Look at those cheekbones! And she resides in her house by the side of the road! But I digress.

Now, what was the policy, you ask? Well, apparently, after several Internet conversations went totally sideways, the station emailed all their employees and said that when they receive comments online that are disturbing, they are either to ignore them or tell the poster to contact the station.  After receiving a comment about her short, natural hairstyle, Ms. Lee responded, and was, in turn, fired for failing to comply with the policy.  Petitions have been filed; people are in an uproar; and even the poster himself states that he called the station.

Huffington Post (Black Voices) Story <<--- click here for links to statements, email, etc, etc.

*sighs*

For one, I think the policy of that station is silly. Instead of saying "Don't respond to anything people say about you," the station SHOULD have said "Let's TEACH you how to respond to the simplistic, mindless, idiotic things that people will say."  You know, the same way the NFL is trained to handle press, the press has to be taught how to handle the people.  Media is a tough career path to work in, and people are going to say WHATEVER they want, especially on the Internet where you can keep your identity the purest secret.  News outlets have to have policies in place that allow for any and every type of situation. Keep in mind, a white male was also fired from the same station on the same day for breaking the same policy.  So, it's not just a "black woman is fired for defending her hair" type of story; it's a "people were fired for defending themselves" type story, and to me, that's an issue.  When did defending yourself, especially in such a professional way, become such a bad thing? Why do we as professionals have to allow those on the outside to say whatever they want to us, but we can't respond in an adult fashion?

I hate the policy. I do. Because if you follow policy, she should have been fired. She broke the rules. But dammit, was there no room for leniency? Was there no room for the white guy, an eight year station veteran, who was fired? Who stands up for those who get in trouble, even when they are wrongly right?

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The Re-Launch

So, due to me forgetting my account log-in for wordpress and wordpress being buggers and not "being able to locate my account"....I now welcome you all to....THE NERDY NONCONFORMIST.

*pause for round of applause*

I think I'm going to add a few things to the blog. First, video blogs will be added. I keep getting the question "Are you going to start a YouTube page?" Well, the answer is...maybe. LOL. It depends on the response to the videos.  If they ones of me by myself is received well, from there, I will expand into adding people or doing interviews.

Secondly, I'm CONSIDERING adding guest bloggers. I discuss a variety of things, but I'm well aware that I am no expert. I want to present information to ya'll that is clear and concise. Plus, while there are things that go on in the world every day, I may not have the right words to express the ideals of the blog....ergo, finding others who have similar or even opposing views maybe a solid way to go.

Finally, the POETRY. The thing that is asked for the most. *smile* Now, I won't give ya'll MUCH, considering that I am still compiling enough pieces for a nice, solid poetry/photography book...but I will give ya'll the vernacular art that might be considered "Too Hot" for Facebook or "Too Long" for the book.

The "AngyBlackNerd" was considered as a title. As was "FatSmartandFabulous". But The Nerdy Nonconformist seems so right, don't you agree?

So...without further adieu...let's go....