Morehouse College has come under fire for instituting a no dress and pumps code for its all-male student body.
It’s a shame that a no dress code should even have to be revised to call for black men to put away their skirts, pumps and purses — or to pull their saggy jeans up. But unfortunately, Hip Hop influences can be seen everywhere on campus.
And some of this new crop of Morehouse men come from single parent homes headed by domineering black women, resulting in more feminine black men who are confused about their identity now than ever before.
The dress code also bans wearing hats inside buildings, sunglasses indoors, do-rags, going barefoot on campus, and wearing feminine attire such as dresses, tunics, skirts, leggings, high heeled shoes and purses.
The new dress code is part of its “Appropriate Attire Policy” according to Dr. William Bynum, vice president for Morehouse Student Services.
“We are talking about five students who are living a gay lifestyle that is leading them to dress a way we do not expect in Morehouse men,” said Bynum.
Before instituting the policy, Bynum met with Morehouse Safe Space, the campus’ gay organization.
“We talked about it and then they took a vote,” he said. “Of the 27 people in the room, only three were against it.”
In an interview with the AJC, Senior Cameron Titus said he applauded the change.
“The policy is just saying that you have to show more respect in how you dress and there are things that are just not acceptable at Morehouse,” Titus said. “We have a legacy that we are trying to uphold.”
My 2c: I totally agree with Bynum and Titus. Morehouse College has a rich tradition of educating and training black men to be leaders. A man can’t lead other men wearing a dress.
