[babayega2]

Exactly.

And when you have your special barber, he would cut your hair even when you have no money. That's another assumption a lot of non-black peoples do not know.

I'm black African. I went to live in Rome (Italy) and went 3 times in a "normal" barber shop and the Italians were just doing the haircuts as it is required by their jobs and talking about moundane things. I joined the conversation but ... They are professional. They don't have time to talk about personal problem and stuff. This is not the place.

I switched to a black barbershop and, just near Termini train station. Man, the first day I was there the barber told me and asked me personal stuff and it wasn't "unprofessional" in my view.

We bonded. And now he even call me to ask me how if a problem I have told him previously is solved yet, he has a plumber who can help me fix things and stuff...

So in our culture barbers are well respected.

[mc32]

Didn't barbers inherit their pole symbol from their origins as the default surgeon before professional medicine was a thing?

[slowmovintarget]

Yes. Being good with a straight razor meant more than just a neat shave. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barber%27s_pole