In response to the ruling by the the International Swimming Federation regarding swimming caps for women of color: This is racism, even in the swimming pool.
African American women are born with a certain texture of hair, and this new invention called the Soul Cap helps with hair care as they swim.
This cap does not help one get a competitive advantage; it only helps with hair protection while swimming.
Swimming in the communities of color is already a phobia. I was taught to swim in a segregated swimming pool because my sister and I were not permitted to swim in the city pools. Therefore, if African Americans did not have access to safe swimming environments, many times they would swim in rivers, lakes and creeks. These unsafe conditions caused many young people of color to drown.
This phobia is even present today. My mission is to eradicate this phobia by education and teaching swimming safety and swimming lessons. This ruling by the International Swimming Federation does not help our efforts.
I am a master swimmer, and I have been swimming in competition the last few years. I have been encouraged by the many young people of color I see learning to swim at the facility where I teach swimming. As a pastor, I organized a swimming ministry named after my mentor and late swimming Coach, Dr. James Haines of Morehouse College.
This ruling does not help diversify the swimming community. It continues to marginalize people of color.
Herman Kelly is an adjunct instructor in LSU’s African and African American Studies Department and pastor at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge.