September 21, 2011

TSA Strikes Again!

Wow! Again the TSA has had it hands in someone else's natural hair. In my opinion this time they picked an equivalent of a "Rosa Parks" of the natural hair community to probe - none other than natural hair activist/spokesperson/author Isis Brantley.

Pic from NaturallyIsis.com


According to News 11- Live Isis Brantley was on the train platform headed to catch a flight to Dallas when two TSA agents ran down the escalator behind her demanding to check her hair for explosives.

"Some random lady came up and said 'Did they check your hair?' and I said, 'What no,' and then I just kept going," she said.

Brantley said she was then told, "I have to pat your hair down to make sure you don't have any explosives." She said TSA agents did not take her into a private area to conduct the search, but patted her hair down right there in front of the train doors.

"She took her hand and she started digging around in my hair several times and I said, 'Find the explosives? Please don't do this to me. This is humiliating and embarrassing'," Brantley said.

Check out her video interview with News-11 here.

Again - Wow!!!

Isis was one of the guests on Nappturalite Radio in a show titled "Does Rocking Sew-in Wigs Make You and Undercover Natural. She was giving the do's and don'ts of wearing sew-in wigs.



Check the show out here

Listen to internet radio with Nappturalite Radio on Blog Talk Radio



For those who don't know Isis Brantley is a natural hair pioneer/activist. She recently organized the 1st Natural Hair Parade & Festival - sponsored by Erykah Badu - that was held in Dallas, Texas on September 3, 2011.

In 1995, the Texas Board of Cosmetology charged Isis with breaking cosmetology regulations, by braiding hair without a license. She was taken to court and found guilty, however they couldn't find an actual violation to charge her with.

According to her website, her case was put off for two years. And in 1997 Isis was arrested for braiding hair without a license. Although at the time, no laws in the state of Texas required braiders to be licensed, many in the community saw the arrest as an attempt by the state to intimidate underground braiders and subject them to the same requirements as cosmetologists.

In 2004, Isis got legislation to lower the class hours from 1500 hours to 35 hours for those who want to solely practice natural hair care in the state of Texas. In 2007, she was grandfathered by the state of Texas as the first natural hair care expert and educator in the state.


For more information on Isis Brantley visit her website Naturally Isis - http://www.naturallyisis.com/home

2 comments:

nappy headed black girl said...

Wow, she has an interesting history. And what a coincidence that they would choose her of all people to pat down.

The TSA is getting ridiculous. Where do we draw the line between safety and personal violation?

Laquita said...

I agree - where do we draw the line?