In the Heat of the Fight: Chief Hood and the Politics of Respectability
This past Friday, recent news broke when the San Antonio Express News leaked a photo featuring Charles Hood, Chief of the San Antonio Fire Department, kneeling next to a woman covered in sushi. The photo prompted city officials such as City Manager Erik Walsh and City Attorney Andrew Segovia to conduct an official investigation surrounding the photo.
Walsh later issued a statement, saying, “We all have to be aware that our actions outside of the workplace- good, bad, or otherwise, – reflect on our entire organization.”
Journalist Cody King writes in his article for KSAT.com, “City Attorney: Photo of SAFD Chief Eating Sushi Off Nude Women Is A ‘Serious Issue’ Under Review”, that “KSAT obtained the photo Friday afternoon. It shows Chief Hood at the private party, not in uniform, holding sushi while kneeling next to the model…the incident happened while Chief Hood was attending a firefighter’s birthday party in January…”
“I certainly didn’t intend to offend anyone, and if I did, I sincerely apologize.”
Chief Hood
Hood himself later issued an apology, stating “I attended a firefighter’s 50th birthday party in January. This photo was taken at the front entrance of the party. I certainly didn’t intend to offend anyone, and if I did, I sincerely apologize.”
The article went on to quote the Associated Press, stating, “under San Antonio Fire Department’s rules, employees on-or-off duty ‘shall be governed by the ordinary and reasonable rules of good conduct and behavior.’” The photo features the tradition of eating sushi on a naked woman, known as the Japanese tradition of nyotaimori or “body sushi.” The tradition itself dates back centuries.
While the photo might seem extreme, there is nothing explicit or offensive about it. There is nothing Chief Hood is doing that would pose him as not having good conduct or good behavior. He was off the clock. He was off duty. He was attending a social event of one of his colleagues, something many professional individuals do, like having drinks at local bars. If he was not violating the rules, why is this a controversial issue? If this photo was taken in January, why is this an issue nine months later?
This is a classic case of respectability politics. Dictionary.com defines “respectability politics” as “a set of beliefs holding that conformity to prescribed mainstream standards of appearance and behavior will protect a person who is part of a marginalized group, especially a Black person, from prejudices and systemic injustices.”
In a nutshell, respectability politics is the social and cultural belief that minority leaders are held to separate moral and ethical standards than their non-minority counterparts. Many can pretend that this issue has nothing to do with race, but the facts and actions presented suggest otherwise.
It is crucial to note that it is impossible to unpack this issue without acknowledging the fact that Chief Hood is the first African American Fire Chief in San Antonio, Texas. Hood has served in this capacity since 2007. He was recently named the Fire Chief of the Year by the Metro Chiefs Association.
Chief Hood is a city official and has been for more than a decade. But he is also a human being who, like all human beings, engages in various social activities. He was not the only fireman present at that party, yet he is the only one being focused on and scrutinized.
Now suddenly, because of an irrelevant photo, his ability and ability to professionally represent his organization, and ability to be respected as a city official, is being questioned.
