The man I am dating now wears his hear in locs. I love them. I help him take care of them, keep them fresh for him - I love it. (Hey, he learned to eat with chopsticks, we learn and we compromise and it's beautiful . . .)
Anyway, I've been with him watching him struggle to find a "real" job. Without going into too much detail, we pretty much knew that several times he was denied a position because of his "wild" hair. His locs are very well kept (with my help) - I understand if someone didn't keep them up at all -- any hairstyle unkempt is not pleasant.
I am sure much of it was racist, but there were times when other Blacks didn't hire him. I think it is also a part of conformity - just the brainwashing we all undergo going through public school and through society in general.
His poor mother pleads with him to cut them off so he can conform and join the professional working world.
This is one reason I really commend up and coming young businesses. Some, not all, have such open and new policies and visionaries. They appreciate and respect things like locs or piercings or what not. I wonder, though, if it will ever change. Tattoos have been around for a minute and barely hold any taboo anymore. Damn near every American has one, from corporate executive to local hood rat. But you will still find it rare for a company to allow it's employees to show them while on the clock.
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