FATHERHOOD was tough for me in 2014, because there were moments in which it was impossible to laugh.
There was the moment when I had to explain to my 10-year-old son that I couldn’t buy him an Airsoft pistol, because someone could mistake it for a real gun and tragedy might ensue. I had no idea at the time that 12-year-old Tamir Rice would face that very scenario in Cleveland, and police would shoot him to death at a playground.
There were moments when I had to talk to my children about the protests in Ferguson, Mo., and the history of violence against people of color that precipitated them.
But then there were other moments, like the time I tried to have a talk with my 13-year-old daughter, Eve, about public nudity after R&B star Rihanna wore virtually nothing to the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s gala.
“Rihanna wore a see-through dress,” I said as I drove Eve to school. “There was a lot of controversy about it. Some people think it was OK for her to do that, but I just wanted you to know that your body is precious . . . ”
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Illustration by Richard Harrington
Solomon Jones is an Essence bestselling author and award-winning columnist. He is the creator and editor of Solomonjones.com and morning host on 900 am WURD radio. Click here to learn more about Solomon.
