Written by Petyah Triche
Six years ago, after having my youngest son, I decided to wear my natural hair. I can vividly remember the moment it happened, which occurred after being home on maternity leave for over four months. I took a good look in the mirror and realized that I had neglected my hair care routines. There was no huge homecoming moment, where I decided to wear my natural hair. For those who may not understand this concept, people of color use the term natural hair to refer to hair growing from the scalp that has not been chemically processed or straightened in any way. Between diapers, terrible twos, breastfeeding, and sleep deprivation, there was simply no time for beauty salon appointments. I was swept up by motherhood with two children under two years old, so I embraced the new look without thinking about how it could impact my workplace interactions or career growth.
There is a long-standing debate regarding black hairstyles' acceptance in the professional world due to societal norms. As my maternity leave was coming to an end, I quickly realized that I needed to find a better job to support my growing family. So as I interviewed, I consciously wore straight hair wigs to cover my natural hair because I feared that it would count against me.
This fear comes from a common unspoken but learned rule amongst black women “Straighten your hair for the interview and only wear your natural hairstyles once you have secured the job.” That is exactly what I did. Very quickly I started to receive biased and unsolicited comments regarding my hair at my workplace. I have been asked if I “just rolled out of bed” and even told I look like I’ve been “electrocuted”. Such comments echoed in my mind when getting dressed and ready for conferences such as the Prima Institute or WCI conference where I would be engulfed in a room full of working professionals.
If you were to google professional hair today on the internet, it is very unlikely to find braids, locks, twists, and knots depicted. This lack of representation coupled with the long-standing discrimination against race-based hairstyles in the workplace and schools has started encouraged legal action. Hair discrimination is a very common occurrence. To that end, the CROWN Act was created in 2019 to ensure protection against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles by extending statutory protection to hair texture and protective styles. It is outrageous that in the year 2020, we need legislation to wear and style our hair the way it grows out of our scalps.
The media, societal norms and corporate America unfairly targets black hair by deeming it “unkempt”, “unprofessional” and/or “distracting”. Dove's CROWN Research Study, determined that Black women were 50% more likely to report being sent home or know of a Black woman who was sent home from the workplace because of their hair. Many feel compelled not to wear their hair in its natural state to fit in a corporate environment.
In July of 2019, California was the first state to sign the Crown Act into law. Soon afterward New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Colorado, and finally Washington joined the effort. As of July 2020, the Crown Act was filed but did not pass in Florida. During a time when Diversity & Inclusion is a hot topic, it is likely that this legislation will resurface but we do not need a piece of paper to make us more accepting and conscious of others.
Two cardinal rules to start:
(1) DO NOT TOUCH BLACK PEOPLE’S HAIR without asking for permission.
(2) Stop thinking and saying that any texture other than straight is dirty, unkempt, unprofessional, or distracting.
In other words, do not offer unsolicited comments about black hair, unless those comments are uplifting and encouraging. Reprogram yourself to understand and accept the fact that how someone chooses to wear their hair is not an indication or reflection of their skillset.
