"The Bad Case of The Twerking Syndrome"

WARNING: "TWERKING"/ "BOOTY POPPING"/ "RUMP-SHAKING" and other hyper- physical dances are not suitable for performance everywhere.

I was on Facebook and I seen that one of my fellow male friends re-posted the image below from another Facebook page. I love the image...I LOATHE THE CAPTION. I may lose a few of you, but that's okay because it happens. Now, I'm about to tear everything about this image apart if you don't mind. For beginners, I dislike the idea that the caption may or may not have ruined someone's photo...like most images via the Internet. The caption takes away from what we all should be celebrating: someone else's success. For my people dedicated to including color in any situation, the caption takes away from celebrating the success of another individual of the same or similar race while appreciating their "come up". For my people that exclude race because it's not always an issue, the caption eliminates the celebration of the accomplishment of someone else's child or the success point for someone who is one step closer to their personal goal. 

My second issue: That ONE grammar issue. Yes, I'm pointing it out. Whoever created the caption for the image should have used "You're" instead of "You". Talk about education, right? Were they twerking too? Sure, let's caption this graduate but use the incorrect grammar. My biggest issue with this image is the twerking part. For starters, twerking is not new everyone; it has just been given a different name...with few additional moves. The shaking of the rear has been existent for centuries. It's found its way into cultural dances, the Lindy Hop (yes people had issues with the Lindy Hop), the gyrating of Elvis's pelvis, and fast forward to Sisqo's "Thong Song",and there it is. It's continued and made its way into the "now" where the music videos have totally gotten out of control and parents are allowing their adolescents to mimic the dances they're watching on television. Don't get me started!!!! I'm certain this will appall some, but, "twerking" does not disqualify you from receiving an education. Taken aback are you? To know that the gyrating of a backside doesn't define a person's educational status in all cases? Inappropriate in certain situations and places? IT SURE IS. Can this type of dancing affect your education, image, and certain opportunities? In some instances (more so when the dancing is recorded or seen in the wrong place), YES it can. BUT, again, it does not define everyone's character or educational status. Cut the generalization out. Also, I've noticed that the people sharing this image are both male and female...the same males that have been gyrated on and the same females that have confessed to partaking in some rump-shakin'. Mhhmmm!!! I just loathe the caption, you all. Lol. 

Don't misinterpret my post, certain dances are to be displayed in public, while others are meant to be displayed in private. Am I tired of the Vines that used to be funny (but aren't anymore) because every Vine is now someone shaking their butt (with or without clothing)? I'm extremely tired of that! Am I bothered by recorded videos of young children dancing on one another? Yes, that is not okay. Am I further disappointed that the lack of self-respect has skyrocketed since women have become careless as to whom or what they shake something for? Yep. But, dancing (even if some of you don't perceive it to be dancing) does not define all of our educational statuses. I appreciate the attempted activism to redirect twerking into more appropriate settings while trying to rear our young women back to what should be their priorities, but this is not the way to pursue it. So, I will let you all know, I shook my onion while picking up that bachelor's degree (that I worked hard for), and I'm going to shake my onion while I grab that graduate's degree, and so forth. LET'S PROVE THIS IMAGE WRONG.

With Realness,

Bee Elae

1/29/2014

1/20/2014