The LetHer Speak Polo Symbol Analysis

The LetHer Speak Polo—Emira’s unofficial babysitting uniform—symbolizes how Alix’s privilege makes her ignorant of Emira’s struggles. It also shows how Alix’s privilege prevents her from supporting Emira positively and meaningfully. Alix doesn’t explicitly tell Emira to wear the LetHer Speak polo when she babysits—she only offers Emira one of the polos so that Emira doesn’t get her clothes dirty when she is painting with Briar one day. And yet, from that day forth, Emira starts each shift by changing into the polo until it gradually becomes just another part of her routine. Alix is thrilled when she realizes this.  

That Alix reacts to Emira wearing a uniform—and especially one that displays the name of Alix’s business in bold letters for all to see—with delight instead of horror shows how unaware she is of the power dynamics that govern her and Emira’s relationship. It never occurs to Alix that Emira wearing a polo with the name of Alix’s business on it might visually suggest that Alix possesses or controls Emira (Kelley has to point this out to her). As a white, wealthy woman, Alix is rarely on the receiving end of systemic injustice, so she’s seldom placed in situations where somebody has such a fundamental advantage over her. Alix’s relative power makes her believe, incorrectly, that life is a level playing field for everyone.

But as a young Black woman who also lacks Alix’s financial stability, Emira is constantly aware of how systemic issues of race and class put certain people at a fundamental disadvantage--and give people like Alix the upper hand. While it’s true that Alix asked rather than ordered Emira to put on the polo, how free could Emira really have felt to say no to her employer, who can fire her at any moment, for any reason? Finally, Emira’s LetHer Speak polo bears an uncanny resemblance to the polo that Alix’s parents made their Black housekeeper and caregiver, Claudette, wear. Claudette’s uniform carries more obviously problematic symbolism than Emira’s—it featured the family’s last name, “Murphy,” stitched across the polo, visually identifying Claudette as their property. Nevertheless, delight over Emira’s polo shows how Alix unwittingly mimics problematic behavior she has long vowed never to repeat. Though Alix may disapprove of her parents’ views and behaviors, her economic and racial identity imbues her with a degree of privilege that makes these problematic behaviors come easily and unnoticeably. Emira’s LetHer Speak polo shows how privilege can corrupt otherwise good intentions.