What are courts like towards social workers/AMHPs with dreads? I am intending to dread my hair but seem to spend lots of time either in magistrates courts applying for warrants etc, giving evidence to tribunals or other court settings, just wndering what your experiences are or of people you know?
No problem
i have a skinhead
If you need to ask, do you think you are confident enough to pull it off?? If you are doing it for you and it makes you happy having dreads, who gives a crud what courts say/ think? If you can produce and present your evidence with confiction and dedication, it will stand. thats my view.
It's about credibility and the background and values of people who matter in the court setting.
You are obligated to do your best for your client.
In crown court the judge wears dreads but it is not a two way thing, unless he/she has dreads under the dreads.
I dread to think what might happen
Confidence not a problem, I was wondering, not knowing anyone else wearing such 'subversive' hair in the role!
I don't think I have ever been anywhere else which so overtly displays a kindly but paternalistic and conservative (with small 'c') attitude than at court, tho for sure not everyone is like that,
Cheers all! (scratch scratch)
About five years ago I was in court on business, and a 19/20 year old middle-class-ish, respectable-ish male was appearing for a motoring offence. His hair was impressively arranged in pleated "quasi-dreadlock" style with various ornmental bits woven in and hanging down.
The encumbent on the bench angrily ordered him to be removed and take that "outrageous thing" off his head before appearing in his court, or he would be held in contempt and placed in custody.
The young man was removed by the court officer, and reappeared about 20 minutes later.
By then his solicitor had arrived and offered the bench an apology for his clients appearance, explaining that He was going on from the court for an interview for a scholarship in a top hairdressing institution in the west end of London, and his hair arrangement was was part of the examination/demonstration of his talent.
It had taken him 20 hours to put in and the practice and design stage several weeks before that.
He now looked like a terrier that had been mauled by a doberman, and he clearly was no longer going to be getting a scholarship to a top institution.
The Bench remained unmoved and impartial, and fined the lad £50 and 2 penalty points for his motoring offence.
The memory of that episode still angers me.
Hi 2tinkas et al.!,
The very thought that you have to ask the question is very worrying indeed and sadly I share your sentiments.
I am a Black and very proud woman, unfortunately, I have felt the need sometimes to have an inward conversation as to whether it was appropriate to have an afro, cornrows etc. This really saddens me, as I personally do not buy into Eurocentric notions of beauty and it would seem credibility!! via hairstyle.
I wear my cornrows with pride and challenge ANYONE to challenge me about it! It is my identity and if I fight so hard for my service users to have their own identities, why shouldn't I have mine.
I hope you resolve this issue for yourself and do not bow to the pressure to conform!
Jols
All very noble but until we have an enlightened judiciary we have a duty to do the best we can for our client.
Transference knows no bounds.
Hi Shirack,
I am hoping you're not suggesting, that my cornrowed hair is not "doing the best" for any client I have....
I don't have dreadlocks but if I did, I wouldn't cut them off in a bid to look 'credible' to any Judiciary.
We all have to be true to ourselves. I draw a distinction however between arriving at Court clean and presentable as opposed to hairstyle (which may be for religious / cultural reasons). There is no excuse for looking untidily dressed.
I remember before I qualified asking my practice assessor if I should dye my hair red, and she was mystified about why I was even asking. An amhp in the year above me (i am just finishing amhp training) has dreads, and its not an issue for him.
My excuse for being untidy is that I m a lazy ass.
Hi 2tinkas, Clean/well kept dreadlocks should be fine for black female professionals...I think it's the same for males - except in the banks!
jols: Hi Shirack, I am hoping you're not suggesting, that my cornrowed hair is not "doing the best" for any client I have.... I don't have dreadlocks but if I did, I wouldn't cut them off in a bid to look 'credible' to any Judiciary.
Must admit my thinking on this is a bit muddled. I believe in culture appropriate but not white men with dreads as I hate fashion statements. Assume judge would see it the same way.
I have the same feelings about gender appropriate.
Maybe it's me as I don't understand why women waste hours a day on how they look.
Makeup is deceipt. Love people for what they are, not how they appear. (Tats and piercings)
I agree totally with your sentiments just wondering about strategies. (Ends justify the means.)
Always remember the judge who awarded reduced compensation to a man whose penis was severed. He justified the reduction, as the man was not married and therefore did not have the same use for it.
Not all judges the same but you have to prepare for the worst, especially when someones freedom is at stake.
Judges are in no position to comment on other people's silly (or not) hairstyles!
What5 we need is more Judiciary with dreadlocks!
There, problem solved.
If they all had dreads, you can bet your boots they would have to wear short back and sides wigs. Nature of the beast.
I don't understand why some men waste hours a day on how they look....
Shirack:Always remember the judge who awarded reduced compensation to a man whose penis was severed. He justified the reduction, as the man was not married and therefore did not have the same use for it.
I've thought about this ........................... I just can't get my head around it, as lots of these judges are whankrs.
redana: I don't understand why some men waste hours a day on how they look....
Not true. And I'm not even getting into a proper discussion about it. So nyah.
Incidentially, to the OP - if you're confident enough to do it, then do it. But do it and feel self-conscious, 'cos that'll have an impact on your work.
'He that is taught only by himself has a fool for a master' - HST.
redana: Shirack:Always remember the judge who awarded reduced compensation to a man whose penis was severed. He justified the reduction, as the man was not married and therefore did not have the same use for it. I've thought about this ........................... I just can't get my head around it, as lots of these judges are whankrs.
Most married women I know would probably and whistfully have thought the reverse rule would apply!
Silver Sage: redana: Shirack:Always remember the judge who awarded reduced compensation to a man whose penis was severed. He justified the reduction, as the man was not married and therefore did not have the same use for it. I've thought about this ........................... I just can't get my head around it, as lots of these judges are whankrs. Most married women I know would probably and whistfully have thought the reverse rule would apply!
Good of you to share your own experience.
Are you assuming my gender by any chance?Or my marital status?.....remember I did not choose the icon picture by my name, that is the one ascribed by default if you don't post your own,whether you are male or female.
Silver Sage: Are you assuming my gender by any chance?Or my marital status?.....remember I did not choose the icon picture by my name, that is the one ascribed by default if you don't post your own,whether you are male or female.
Silver Sage; Why the defensiveness? I wasn't making any assumptions; I have not commented on your gender or your marital status and it holds no interest for me whatsoever. I simply thanked you for sharing your experience of the married women you know.
Yeah, because of course married women are fed up with all the sex. We just want to get on with our knitting.
Like frinking heck, sunshine... you know a lot of women whose other halves could do with a lesson or three in getting it right from the sound of it.
No compensation on this earth would make up for losing that, in my book.
Maryeldon: Yeah, because of course married women are fed up with all the sex. We just want to get on with our knitting. Like frinking heck, sunshine... you know a lot of women whose other halves could do with a lesson or three in getting it right from the sound of it. No compensation on this earth would make up for losing that, in my book.
My point was a marked reduction of interest on behalf of the married men , not that my colleagues had grown fed up with it.....and yes to your second paragraph ..that was precisely my point...and "sunshine"? Never been called that before!
redana: Silver Sage: Are you assuming my gender by any chance?Or my marital status?.....remember I did not choose the icon picture by my name, that is the one ascribed by default if you don't post your own,whether you are male or female. Silver Sage; Why the defensiveness? I wasn't making any assumptions; I have not commented on your gender or your marital status and it holds no interest for me whatsoever. I simply thanked you for sharing your experience of the married women you know.
As Elaine C Smith would say , "Aye; Right!"