What does the “masquerade” represent in the poem (line 9)?

poem

fresh out of middle
school, we
all understand the rules: wear
whatever’s in, scowl on cue to convince the
world we’re fearless — anything to mask
[5]the million insecurities that
pockmark1 our skin like acne. gone the grins
when we strut down the hall. we talk tough and
hope to god it’s enough to get us by. it’s all lies.
we despise the masquerade.2 it
[10]may disguise our fears, but also hides
our kind and tender hearts, our
agile minds, the wit that sits behind our cheeks —
who’d guess that some of us are geeks and
nerds and poets, too? clothed in shades
[15]of chocolate skin, our color works to camouflage our
character and promise — at least, in certain eyes.
one look, and we are neatly judged this
gang, these thugs, these dark delinquents3 in debt
to society. meanwhile, you fail to see that we
[20]are college-bound (more than a few), prepared to pay
attention to psychology, the sciences, the arts, to
thoughtfully unfurl the scrolls of human
history. instead, you see a thief who uses guile.4
is such unfairness what the world is filled with?
[25]the evidence is seen in spirits ripped and torn.
still, the world needs the dreams we offer, and
should we leave those dreams bleeding
on the road, we’d shrink our own hearts
down to nothing, and that we
[30]would regret. better to let our anger go, and smile.
the ignorant ignore as best you can, and
in the end, mask aside, freshen your mouth
with ferocious lines of potent poetry, with
metaphors that mightily reveal the myriad5
[35]of emotions you feel – yet, in all their subtleties