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I'm all for breaking down barriers But don't touch my hair I’m not even asking nicely Because we shouldn’t even have to go there! Why does joining a campaign In the name of Accessibility to commonalities Involve touching my hair? Are you trying to tell me that equality Within the human race starts With an invasion of my personal space Haven't we been here before? ​ [...] ​ See it starts with the hair With innocence intrigued And interest peeked by the versatility Of each strand The dignity that shines in the face of bigotry Whether a fro, straightened, locs or twists Our ability to resist persecution And bring about our own revolution As coded into each wiry follicle ​ [...] ​ I'm all for breaking down barriers But don't you touch my hair I am not your pet, your plaything I do not consent to your analysis Hear me on this – My body is not an artefact For you to examine, a landscape for you to frack I will not join your circus and be a big tent Spectacle of ridicule I’ve no desire to satisfy your curiosity I'm not here for you to peruse And will not be an attraction in your zoo! ​ Excerpt from 'My Hair, My Rules!' Nairobi Thompson © 2013 ​ ​ ​

He sought among the branches what was only available in the roots Mesmerising sways of leafy wonder in the wind Pretty fragrant blooms caught his eye and bound his senses Ready reds and passionate purples Yielding to sun and soaking up morning dews He gave no thought to the roots buried deep That sustained all he was transfixed with The roots were not pretty yet The tangled winding mass underground Was the soul that fed all that was luscious, succulent, ripe Roots twisted by drought because she refused to die each time She was abandoned – Rather she extended herself further In every direction to find sweet sustenance Roots though feeling the weight of the world Blood spilt and associated guilt She drew minerals and nutrients – Vital for survival and wellbeing Keeping her beauty in her calm Satisfaction, knowing and contentment – The essence of every floral smile Roots containing every good thing – Housing her climbing ambition Tenaciously negotiating obstacles – Nothing impossible Loving herself long before loving The 'idea' of other people loving her could take hold Like a fungal rot Refusing uninformed opinions of who and what She should be Avoiding prime conditions for colonisation and proliferation With the potential to Permeate her fibrous structure Causing decay Fascinated ONLY by her branches – He left when Her seasons changed Her boughs looked barren – And she offered no shade Supposing her dead and useless He left and missed out on her greatest gift... The power of regeneration With strengthened attributes The promise of renewal Found only in her roots Nairobi Thompson © 2018