Braids

 

On Saturday, BBC presenter Lukwesa Burak, presented the news. Later she tweeted:

"Thank you for all the messages and DMs. Yes I had braids while reading the news and yes, even on a National bulletin. Times have changed! Thanks again."

Many people responded to the tweet positively; within 16 hours the tweet had over 500 retweets and 17,000 likes. Here are some of the responses:

"You look amazing. If you hadn't said anything I'd have not batted an eyelid. Your hairstyle suits you. And you look fab!"

"Represent" clap emoji

"Happy dance here. There are some 8 year old girls in my class who will be seeing themselves represented today. You rock the braids just like they do."

"The fact that you need to say this in this day and age says we haven't come as far in this country as we should have"

"Sad that this was ever a problem but wonderful to see you being you"

"This is really great to see. It must be such an amazing feeling to know you're inspiring people and giving so much hope with moments like this."

One person wrote, "Apologies for my ignorance. Could you not have had your hair in braids or natural before?" to which Lukwesa replied, "Nope, up until recent years it was considered "too ethnic".

Not everyone commented on Lukwesa's hair, one person asked, "How do you know when it' time to go on camera and start presenting the news?"

Lukwesa replied, "Music, countdown, director... all in my ear... it's quite a rush."

- what do you see in the picture?

- Why do you think this photo picked up lots of comments over the weekend?

- "Times have changed," why does Lukwesa say that? Why did she post the photo?

- "Represent - clap emoji" what does this mean?

- what is representation?

-  "There are some 8 year old girls in my class who will be seeing themselves represented today. You rock the braids just like they do." why it is important for everyone to see themselves represented on TV?

- "The fact that you need to say this in this day and age says we haven't come as far in this country as we should have" what does this mean? 

- Lukwesa says until recent years her braids were considered "too ethnic" for BBC news. What does this mean? Who do you think made that decision, why, what was the impact, why is it different today? (...is it different today?)

- Is everyone represented on TV today? Do you feel represented?

- Does it matter?

- what can we learn from Lukwesa?

- why is this about No Outsiders?

There is a great short video in this link showing kids talking about their hair for World Afro day  https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/58971403

See this No Outsiders lesson plan using "Hair, it's a family affair" by Mylo Freeman (thanks to Liz Pemberton for advice) https://no-outsiders-lessonplans.blogspot.com/2022/04/hair-its-family-affair-by-mylo-freeman.html

No Outsiders: Everyone different, everyone welcome by Andrew Moffat

www.no-outsiders.com

book club

 

https://scoop.upworthy.com/teens-fight-back-book-bans-start-forbidden-book-club-small-pa-town?fbclid=IwAR287DsxR8Os5x1zsEwiDkORd80JTJ4IPc0nOu-LWSdQzNfeQG2LWvy4cSk

A group of teenage students in Pennsylvania, USA, have started up a Forbidden Book club to read books they have been told are banned in their schools. Last October, Texas Republican State Rep Matt Krause launched an investigation in to school libraries in his state and compiled a list of 850 books, demanding that schools reveal whether they had the titles in their libraries and how much money they had spent on the books. These books were mostly about sexuality or race. He argued the books, "might make students feel discomfort". 

According to boingboing.net , here is the full list https://boingboing.net/2021/10/30/texas-lawmakers-considering-a-ban-on-850-books-heres-the-full-list.html

The list includes some of the books you might have read in No Outsiders lessons: Julian at the wedding by Jessica Love, Introducing Teddy by Jessica Walton, We are all born free by Amnesty International, And Tango makes three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, 

Joslyn, who is a 14 year old student at Kutztown Middle School, was inspired to start a group to read banned books and then talk about them; "These books are great works of literature and I really just didn't understand why so many people wanted to ban them. It's important that people read these books because it helps them grow."

Joslyn's Mum is fully supportive of the book club. Mum says, "Reading a book about racism doesn't make you racist and reading a book about gender identity isn't going to make you transgender. Reading a book only benefits you."

The club is held at Firefly bookstore, who allowed the teenagers to meet in their store. Jordan Busits, who works at the store, said, "Books are meant to say something about the author themselves, who they are are what their world views are, and by banning these books we are essentially banning their voices. We wanted the freedom where everyone could express their opinions without someone saying those opinions are wrong."

One of the first books the club read was "Melissa" by Alex Gino: "When people look at George they think they see a boy. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl. George thinks she'll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte's web. George really REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can't even try out for the part... because she's a boy."

Another was "Stamped: Racism, Anti racism and you" by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X Kendi: "Stamped reveals the history of racist ideas in America and inspires hope for an anti-racist future. It takes you on a race journey from then to now, shows you why we feel how we feel and why the poison of racism lingers. It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited."

- what do you see in the picture, what do you think is happening?

- what are books for?

- can books change lives? 

- Can reading a book change you or turn you in to something?

- Why do you think some people are trying to ban children's books about LGBT awareness or race? Is it ok for adults to read these books? Why not children?

- Do you think these books can cause children discomfort? Why does Matt Krause say that?

- Why do you think Joselyn chose to start her book club?

- "Reading a book about racism doesn't make you racist and reading a book about gender identity isn't going to make you transgender. Reading a book only benefits you." what does this mean?

- "By banning these books we are essentially banning their (author) voices." what does this mean?

- Why do you think Joslyn's group read "Melissa" by Alex Gino? 

- Melissa was first published as "George." Reading the blurb, why do you think the author decided to change the title of the book to Melissa?

- Why do you think the group chose to read, "Stamped"? 

- "It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited." what does this mean, why do you think some people think children should not be allowed to read this book? 

- what can we learn from Joslyn?

- why is this about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders: Everyone different, everyone welcome by Andrew Moffat

www.no-outsiders.com

Scouts

 

https://metro.co.uk/2022/06/04/bear-grylls-hails-incredible-trans-scout-with-award-at-jubilee-party-16770202/

The Jubilee celebrations last weekend were watched by millions of people all over the UK and the world. On Saturday night, the Big Jubilee Street Party was broadcast live from the MEN arena, featuring musical guests and honouring inspirational people. 

One person who got a award was a scout volunteer Dan, who joined the scouts when he was six and is now a scout leader. During the conversation, Dan mentioned his transition and thanked the scouts for giving him the confidence to be himself. As he said this, the arena erupted in applause and cheers from the 10,000 strong crowd. A short video was then shown where Dan was thanked for being a role model to other young scouts.

Bear Grylls then abseiled from the ceiling to present Dan with a scouting award for helping other scouts to "be brave and be yourself" Bear said, "Scouting is like a second family to so many people in terms of friendship and life skills." Dan said the scouts were always hugely supportive of his transition and the week after he told them  abut his transition and changed his name, they presented him with a brand  new uniform with his name on it.

- what is the scouts

-Dan talks about his transition, what does that mean?

- the scouts gave Dan the confidence to be himself - what does Dan mean by that?

- When Dan talked about his transition, 10,000 people in the arena cheered; wat does that show about most people today and their understanding of transition?

- How is Dan a role model for other scouts?

- Why is Bear calling Dan brave?

- Why was the new uniform and name badge so important to Dan? What does this show about scouts today?

- what can we learn from Dan?

- what can we learn from the scouts?

- why is this about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders|: Everyone different, everyone welcome by Andrew Moffat

www.no-outsiders.com

Curly hair

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/25/us/florida-curly-hair-graduation-speech/index.html

Zander Moricz went viral last week for an inspiring graduation speech. In his speech, Zander wanted to talk about being gay to let other students know everyone should be who they want to be. However, Zander goes to school in Florida where a recent law has been passed banning teachers from talking about families that have two mums or two dads. The law is known as the "Don't say gay" bill.

Zander was told by the school that he was not allowed to say the word gay in his speech or reference the fact he is gay. So instead, Zander did a speech about another way he is different; he talked about his curly hair.

In his speech, Zander says, "I used to hate my curls. I spent mornings and nights embarrassed of them trying desperately to straighten this part of who I am. But the daily damage of trying to fix myself became too much to do. I decided to be proud of who I was and started coming to school as my authentic self."

Zander thanked his teachers at Pine View School who he said supported him. He said he talked to them first because he didn't have other curly haired people to talk to. 

"Noe I'm happy. And that is what is at stake. There are going to be so many kids with curly hair who need a community like Pine View and they won't have one. Instead they'll try to fix themselves so they can exist in Florida's humid climate."

- what is graduation?

- why do you think Zander wanted to talk about being gay in his speech? 

- Why do you think the school told him not do mention being gay?

- How do you think that decision made Zander feel?

- why did Zander talk about curly hair instead?

- "I used to hate my curls. I spent mornings and nights embarrassed of them trying desperately to straighten this part of who I am." What is Zander talking about here?

- why was trying to "fix" himself causing daily damage?

- how do you think Zander came to realise it was ok to "have curls"?

- "I decided to be proud of who I was and started coming to school as my authentic self." what does this mean?

- What can we do about Florida's "Don't say gay" bill?

- what can we learn from Zander?

- why is this about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders: everyone different, everyone welcome by Andrew Moffat

www.no-outsiders.com