Blowing Out Bullying

Teasing and blowouts may be acceptable in a hair salon, but never in our schools. Kyle Britt, a Greensboro hair stylist, knows this. Which is why he decided to organize "All Tangled Up," a hair show/fashion show to benefit Equality NC in Greensboro last Thursday at the fabulous Studio B event space downtown.

To be quite honest, we weren't sure how exactly a this show could tie in to what we're trying to accomplish this year in session. It didn't take long for us to realize that we're just conditioning these students to think that bullying is okay if we don't try to pass legislation like the School Violence Prevention Act (HB#548 / SB#526) now. Some of these kids come home from school and want to curl up and dye. It's hard for these kids to just relax in class and learn, and it's inevitable that some are walking away from these bullying experiences with permanent damage. Just last week, I heard about a boy named Bobby being pinned down on the playground for wearing ugly sneakers. Kyle agreed that it was a good idea to help cut bullying rates by supporting the SVPA, which enumerates commonly targeted individuals, based on things such as real or perceived sexual orientation, class, physical appearance, disability, or color.

Having been to the show, I quickly realized that the idea was just so crazy it worked. This was an excellent opportunity for us to reach a group of people who had never heard or heard very little about us. We brought along the postcards from our postcard campaign, and we're happy to report that Kyle was able to raise money on our behalf. We can't thank him enough for the opportunity to build more support for this important bill. If you're in or around Greensboro and looking for a new 'do, may we suggest giving Kyle a visit? He's at Studio 207 off Lewis Street downtown.

One thing that I've especially loved about working with Equality these past few months is all the wonderful folks I've met from across the state. "All Tangled Up" was no different. We brought along some temporary tattoos with our logo (as modeled by Aimee and some friends in the picture), which people seem to love. We were also able to get a great number of postcards signed from folks in Davidson, Rockingham, Guilford, Forsyth, Alamance and Stokes counties. Mostly, it's just great to meet new people who are inquisitive and enthusiastic about the work that we're doing.

This is a great example of one more way you can help build a state of equality. Kyle took an unconventional idea and made it work for him (and us!) within the realm of what he was able to achieve. The best part of all is that he was able to raise awareness and funds for something that's important to him. We're very open to your ideas for fundraising and awareness-raising, and Kay can be a great resource if you think of any.

Thanks to Allen Broach, a committed supporter of Equality NC and owner of the beautiful Studio B for providing the space for what was such an entertaining and enjoyable event. And of course, thanks again to Kyle, and the over 200 attendees of "All Tangled Up" who rallied for Equality (and great hair!)