s/o: POC and swimming - what are your experiences?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP AA woman. My parents grew up down South during Jim Crow and don't swim. They started me in lessons when I was 4. My cousin and I took lessons together and he was a life guard at one point. I swim regularly at the pools in DC now. The hair thing is an issue, but getting the exercise is more important to me. Many many many of my AA friends don't know how to swim and will not get in the water because of hair issues.

Ignorant question on the hair issues: is the problem just related to chlorine and other chemicals in a standard pool? Or would swimming in the ocean (or a salt-water pool) or lake cause the same problems?

The issue is getting hair that has been chemically relaxed wet. It takes a long time to wash, condition, dry and restyle relaxed hair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP AA woman. My parents grew up down South during Jim Crow and don't swim. They started me in lessons when I was 4. My cousin and I took lessons together and he was a life guard at one point. I swim regularly at the pools in DC now. The hair thing is an issue, but getting the exercise is more important to me. Many many many of my AA friends don't know how to swim and will not get in the water because of hair issues.

Ignorant question on the hair issues: is the problem just related to chlorine and other chemicals in a standard pool? Or would swimming in the ocean (or a salt-water pool) or lake cause the same problems?

The issue is getting hair that has been chemically relaxed wet. It takes a long time to wash, condition, dry and restyle relaxed hair.

NP here.

Had both relaxed and natural hair and it doesn't take a long time. Comes down to priorities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of black women don't swim because of their hair.

That's an excuse for many black women who can't swim.

- A black woman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:70 percent of Black Americans don't know how to swim. (source: http://www.theroot.com/swimming-in-the-black-community-how-racism-is-drowning-1790855966)

Do you doubt the statistic, or do you doubt that a legacy of institutional racism and whites-only pools played a part in creating the statistic?

There's this an in the the very old generations there is sometimes a fear of water or folks are cautioned against going in the water because of spirits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP AA woman. My parents grew up down South during Jim Crow and don't swim. They started me in lessons when I was 4. My cousin and I took lessons together and he was a life guard at one point. I swim regularly at the pools in DC now. The hair thing is an issue, but getting the exercise is more important to me. Many many many of my AA friends don't know how to swim and will not get in the water because of hair issues.

Ignorant question on the hair issues: is the problem just related to chlorine and other chemicals in a standard pool? Or would swimming in the ocean (or a salt-water pool) or lake cause the same problems?

The issue is getting hair that has been chemically relaxed wet. It takes a long time to wash, condition, dry and restyle relaxed hair.

Got it. I wonder if there are any swim caps effective enough to keep hair totally dry? Kids would have the issue of not wanting to stand out by looking different in the pool, but adults who want to learn might be able to find a workable solution. If there isn't such a thing, someone should get entrepreneurial!

[Anonymous]

POC is point of contact contact wtf it's called black moron

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given the newly-added citations, I don't doubt the statistic.

Should swimming be taught in every public school and be mandatory?

Most public schools don't have pools.

My oldest was at Piney Branch ES in MCPS and had swimming every year, I think, as part of PE. However, she was already a strong swimmer by then. I don't think any other MCPS ES has a pool. Jackson Rd ES could walk to the MLK pool easily, but I don't know if they do.

Grew up in Germany where schools didn't have pools either, so we were brought to the local pool by bus. We had swim class in 3rd grade. And before that our parents made sure we took swim classes, which cost money, btw. In DC pools offer swim classes for FREE and they still have to rescue about 2 kids per season. Pulling them out of the pool and then no parents to be found. It boils down to lazy parents/ lack of parenting skills in within certain communities.

THat's the old Germanic spirit!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:POC is point of contact contact wtf it's called black moron

Actually, the more inclusive term of art is BIPOC, not merely “POC.”

[Anonymous]

Did OP find out more info and do they have data collected between 2017 and now to share with posters and readers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:POC is point of contact contact wtf it's called black moron

Actually, the more inclusive term of art is BIPOC, not merely “POC.”

I am a “POC” (I hate this term) and I fail to see how BIPOC is more inclusive. I think it’s actually less inclusive. In practice when people use this they specifically mean black people. Who are already included in POC, which is a catch-all meaning “racial minority”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:POC is point of contact contact wtf it's called black moron

Actually, the more inclusive term of art is BIPOC, not merely “POC.”

I am a “POC” (I hate this term) and I fail to see how BIPOC is more inclusive. I think it’s actually less inclusive. In practice when people use this they specifically mean black people. Who are already included in POC, which is a catch-all meaning “racial minority”.

Because you have internalized the racism of white heteropatriarchy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:POC is point of contact contact wtf it's called black moron

Actually, the more inclusive term of art is BIPOC, not merely “POC.”

I am a “POC” (I hate this term) and I fail to see how BIPOC is more inclusive. I think it’s actually less inclusive. In practice when people use this they specifically mean black people. Who are already included in POC, which is a catch-all meaning “racial minority”.

Because you have internalized the racism of white heteropatriarchy.

You forgot to mention capitalism, xenophobia, ageism, climate change, & acne.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given the newly-added citations, I don't doubt the statistic.

Should swimming be taught in every public school and be mandatory?

Most public schools don't have pools.

My oldest was at Piney Branch ES in MCPS and had swimming every year, I think, as part of PE. However, she was already a strong swimmer by then. I don't think any other MCPS ES has a pool. Jackson Rd ES could walk to the MLK pool easily, but I don't know if they do.

Grew up in Germany where schools didn't have pools either, so we were brought to the local pool by bus. We had swim class in 3rd grade. And before that our parents made sure we took swim classes, which cost money, btw. In DC pools offer swim classes for FREE and they still have to rescue about 2 kids per season. Pulling them out of the pool and then no parents to be found. It boils down to lazy parents/ lack of parenting skills in within certain communities.

Yes! Hahaha

Some cultures promote personal responsibility, while others have a never ending list of excuses and grievances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given the newly-added citations, I don't doubt the statistic.

Should swimming be taught in every public school and be mandatory?

Most public schools don't have pools.

My oldest was at Piney Branch ES in MCPS and had swimming every year, I think, as part of PE. However, she was already a strong swimmer by then. I don't think any other MCPS ES has a pool. Jackson Rd ES could walk to the MLK pool easily, but I don't know if they do.

Grew up in Germany where schools didn't have pools either, so we were brought to the local pool by bus. We had swim class in 3rd grade. And before that our parents made sure we took swim classes, which cost money, btw. In DC pools offer swim classes for FREE and they still have to rescue about 2 kids per season. Pulling them out of the pool and then no parents to be found. It boils down to lazy parents/ lack of parenting skills in within certain communities.

Yes! Hahaha

Some cultures promote personal responsibility, while others have a never ending list of excuses and grievances.

One of Germany culture’s strengths is they still have a cultural sense of personal responsibility.

Compare that with 2025 America: constant adds for lawyers telling everyone it’s not their fault, a school culture where “nobody ever looses” and this twisted idea where we have replaced “equality of opportunity,” with “equity of outcome.”

America is about to be left behind by the rest of the world, who do not engage in our foolish American thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:POC is point of contact contact wtf it's called black moron

Actually, the more inclusive term of art is BIPOC, not merely “POC.”

I am a “POC” (I hate this term) and I fail to see how BIPOC is more inclusive. I think it’s actually less inclusive. In practice when people use this they specifically mean black people. Who are already included in POC, which is a catch-all meaning “racial minority”.

You all are saying POC but I think you just mean black. Not all POCs are black. My pool is full of Asians and Hispanics, they definitely out number whites. And when my kids took swim lessons, they were the only white kids at the school. (All good things, just pointing out the misuse of POC).