But as communities evolve new norms are formed, and they seem to get more ridiculous by the day.
Some of these norms have created prisons for those who do not have the desire to meet them.
Especially those norms that have to do with physical appearance.
For one, I don’t like to shave my armpits.
And as an adult woman living in a democratic society, I assumed that we could all live with it. I was so wrong.
From stares to comments, people are really disgusted.
Some have even offered to pay for me to get waxed, whatever it takes to ‘fix’ it.
Oh and they say that if I am not willing to shave then I do not deserve to wear anything sleeveless.
I should hide my disgrace, and in this heat.
But why?
In the bigger picture, how do my bushy armpits undermine the social fabric?
Not a chance! I will not be bullied.
It seems to me that some people use control over others to make themselves feel more important.
They insist on their values which do not contribute to the greater good in any way.
Truth is, there are many irrational norms that really have nothing to do with anything.
I am a black woman in a predominantly black society and the norms just keep piling up! It is starting to bother me, deeply.
We have more serious issues.
People are stealing money from the state while others are dying of hunger.
Should we nationalise the banks?
When will Sassa pull itself together so that people can be secure in their social grants?
The list is long, in case we feel like we are running out of issues worthy of serious consideration.
We are spending too much time focusing on insignificant issues, like shaving.
One of these days I won’t use deodorant either. Because I can.
