The tennis star is a cultural touchstone for everyone,but for young girls of color, she is as necessary as airI am trying to be a conscientious mother to my daughter, and anticipating issues as she comes of age defined as a young woman of color in America. I expected,even predicted, her questions approximately darker versus lighter skin and kinky versus straight versus curly hair and had affirming responses at the ready. But prepared as I was, or the child still managed to surprise me the day she asked approximately her spine. Why,she wanted to know, did her spine seem to curve when her friends backs fell in a smooth, and straight line? I had made it to my late twenties before I thought something flawed with my back’s natural arch; my daughter,who inherited my body, had asked at eight. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com