Black Hair: In the workplace and school

[Steeltrap]

Originally posted by mccoyred
Essence has been owned by AOL Time Warner for 2 years!...but I get your point. 'We' are more accepting and understanding if 'we' run the shop.

McCoyRed, thank you. And I suspect that Essence's advertisers know the magazine's audience and know who they will be dealing with.

[DELTAQTE]

How "professional" is the senior vice president and editorial director of Essence, Susan Taylor? Is she considered "professional" or not professional enough

Do I think Ms.Taylor is professional in her braids? yes! Do I think she's doing her EDGES justice? NO!

sorry, back to the discussion

QTE

[nikki1920]

At DeltaQTE, you are wrong for that!! ha ha

[Perseverance]

You ladies are on point! Seriously blacks need to reconsider what is so-called professional hair. Most AA people who choose to wear their hair in its natural state will agree that why is there such a big rule implying that our afro's, braids etc are unkempt or dirty or simply unruly. Why is straight right?? Excuse black hair if it prefers to grow out rather than down. It it kinks and coils rather than lies limp. Just be honest White America, you don't want our black arses in your offices. Don't use hair type, now that's just ignorant. But I wonder where the get that idea from, nappy hair is bad hair...?? Not to me, its just as 'good' as straight hair to me!

Well said! I agree. Would our ancestors not have been able to obtain employment in law firms, banks, etc.? If they had not become slaves maybe the idea of our hair as being unprofessional or unkempt would not have existed. Maybe our hair would have been the norm. I wear my natural hair with pride and I exude professionalism. Majority of the time my hair is twisted or coiled. This is not a trend for me, it's a part of who I am. Why must we be ashame of the hair that God gave us? I would find out if a potential employer had a problem with my natural hair before I even accept a position. If they do then that is not the job for me.

[Afrochic]

Originally posted by DELTAQTE
Do I think she's doing her EDGES justice? NO!

sorry, back to the discussion

QTE

OMG! I had to laugh at that one.

[jccLove]

I believe that you should be able to wear you hair in any style that you want but I also believe that people should be realistic. Every work environment is not the same and rules dont always apply across the board. I work in a major hospital and I have to admit that some hairstyles are unprofessional depending on the job status of the individual. If I seen a doctor male or female wearing thier hair in elaborate cornrows I would feel that it was unprofessional. If it was a nurse's aide or a food service worker I wouldnt care. There are many braided styles that can be professional but I dont believe that the Lil Mo/Alicia Keys/A Iverson styles are one of them.

[Krisco]

Jcc, you are right regardless of the texture in certain work environments, you must maintain a level of so-called conservativeness. But, why is it that when most people mention what a conservative hairstyle is they automatically rule out the variations of what typical natural african-american hair is capable of. I mean, not coming at you directly, but I get half the heat about my natural nappy hair from other black people. I worked at not one but two conservative internships last summer and the fall/sp of this year. Not once, did I hear any mentions of me needing to 'tame' or conservate my hair, please take into consideration that i live in Arkansas, when you hear my argument, not exactly progressive land. I wore twa's(teen weeny afros, cornrows-nothing major but always pulled into a bun, and twists.) I had zero complaints, only "how did u get it to do that" and "wow, thats the REAL texture??" I think we as a people need to wake up and realize that, sure for some natural hair is just a trend but for most, its a way of life. Why fight what naturally comes?

[Ideal08]

I went to a meeting this afternoon at a different office. Anyway, they had ethnic diversity pictures up on the wall, and one of them did it by the alphabet. Well, for the letter C, it had Cornrows. It had a cute picture of a little girl with her beads. So that led me to think... why did we stop braiding our hair? At what age did having your hair french braided become uncool? And since cornrows are so 'trendy,' will we no longer see little girls with cornrows and beads?

I agree with you, Krisco, I never had this problem, either. As a matter of fact, the front of my hair is cornrowed now, and I just left the back out. I am versatile with my 'fro! I have gotten SO many compliments here at the office on the style. And it's not the first time. I wore them when I was in corporate america, too, so it's not just because I'm in nonprofit.

So the nurse's aide can have cornrows and not be unprofessional, but not the doctor? Because she has less education or because she is paid less? Why?

And Alicia Keys did NOT make cornrows popular, just the particular style she wears. Women were wearing cornrows before that. And not just natural heads, either. Where do yall live??? The cornrows were thicker and braided back. Sometimes with wooden beads on the ends and sometimes with just rubberbands and sometimes burnt at the ends. I can remember people having extensions in high school, and the front of the hair was cornrowed with loose braids in the back. That was 10 years ago. CT4, am I trippin? I remember people getting braids in undergrad with cornrowed styles, too. And I've been out of college for 5 years, WAY before Alicia Keys. Please, don't give her credit for something she had NOTHING to do with.

And another thing... why are people so set on giving the employers what they want? Doesn't anyone want to bring about change????? Why is it acceptable that an employer can tell you what to do with your HAIR????? At what point are changes made? Or do we just accept what is thrown at us for the sake of making a dollar? So, the rules aren't the same across the board... do we just leave it at that or try to change the rules? You know, the rules used to be that we were separate but equal. Before that, the rule was we weren't equal at all. So I guess I can pray that one day, my child's hair won't be a determining factor in his/her employment.

[ClassyLady]

Originally posted by Ideal08
At what age did having your hair french braided become uncool? And since cornrows are so 'trendy,' will we no longer see little girls with cornrows and beads?

I know that my braids were considered to be "uncool" once I got to the seventh grade. That year, I went from attending a predominantly white, private school to a public school with a more even mixture of everyone. My sister always did my hair in pretty braids and cornrows, but when I got to middle school, I was told that my braids made me look like a little girl. I was only 11, wasn't I still a little girl?????

This leads me to agree with Krisco in that our hair seems to be more of an issue amongst ourselves. I never had any of the white students say anything about my cornrows and braided styles. Most of the girls said things like "I wish I could wear my hair like that." Why is it that some of us are ashamed of something that so many others wish they could have. Seems to me, that our people always have issues with the things that make us distinctively who we are.

[skywalker20_99]

Originally posted by Krisco
Jcc, you are right regardless of the texture in certain work environments, you must maintain a level of so-called conservativeness. But, why is it that when most people mention what a conservative hairstyle is they automatically rule out the variations of what typical natural african-american hair is capable of. I mean, not coming at you directly, but I get half the heat about my natural nappy hair from other black people. I worked at not one but two conservative internships last summer and the fall/sp of this year. Not once, did I hear any mentions of me needing to 'tame' or conservate my hair, please take into consideration that i live in Arkansas, when you hear my argument, not exactly progressive land. I wore twa's(teen weeny afros, cornrows-nothing major but always pulled into a bun, and twists.) I had zero complaints, only "how did u get it to do that" and "wow, thats the REAL texture??" I think we as a people need to wake up and realize that, sure for some natural hair is just a trend but for most, its a way of life. Why fight what naturally comes?

I recently started wearing my hair in a natural style. I simply stopped relaxing it. Now I just wash it and let it take on its natural springy, kinky look. I absolutely love it. However, the only flack I have caught about the new look has been from my own people. I had one older family friend tell me I needed to just cut it all off because "folks with nice hair who don't know what to do with it, just need to get rid of it". Translation: If its not straight, its not right.

I'm just getting to the point where I don't feel that I should HAVE to chemically straighten my hair, or sit down with a pressing comb once a week to be accepted. It should be a personal choice. As long as I look neat and presentable, it really shouldn't matter.

[CrucialCrimson]

Originally posted by ClassyLady
Crucial Crimson, you said that your clients do not want to work with people who look like Latrell Sprewell. My question to you is, why would you want those kind of people as clients in the first place? If they cannot be accepting to something that is a part of your heritage and culture as someone of African descent, why would you even want to be bothered.

I didn't say that clients don't want to work with that type of person, but the most tolerant of folks, can be very intolerant when it comes to certain professionals in their lives. Call it a double standard, but that is how it is - for example, I have younger clients that are in the "skateboard" culture and have a business based on it and I have some clients in the technology industry - their look reflects their personal taste but that is NOT what they look for in the attorneys/accountants/financial planners they seek out. As some of you get older you will become more familiar with the "front of the check" status that clients/business owners have. When you are signing the back of the check you have less say.

As for Susan Taylor - that is a different situation altogether because it is a different industry (journalism/fashion) and because she is in a position of authority and can set a standard. Essence is not Doubleday or Newsweek and it is a much larger employer. The thing you have to remember is that most people will never admit that their hair or general hygiene is sub par - as a business owner I don't have time to explain the difference between well kept hair and unkempt hair, new growth under braids or new roots under a hot pink dye job - subtle nails and black nail polish - a pierced ear and a pierced lip - rather than getting into those personal variatiobns, I don't put up with any of it and I can run my business how I wish. Again, the only argument I would seriously listen to would be a religious one and that hasn't come up yet.

[astrikingbeauty]

C.C. why don't you cut all the crap and just say it and be finished!
"to come into your place of business one has stray away from their African roots; with perms, and wigs". You are so pathetic!!!!! You speak that one who signs their name on the back of a/the check has lessor say.......... oh how so stupid. Entertainers, Entrepreneurs, Health Professionals are always signing their name on the back of a check. Go get a life. You can say what you want to say after this post.....because I've said what I had to say!!!!!

[Nappy_in_NJ]

Originally posted by astrikingbeauty
C.C. why don't you cut all the crap and just say it and be finished!
"to come into your place of business one has stray away from their African roots; with perms, and wigs". You are so pathetic!!!!! You speak that one who signs their name on the back of a/the check has lessor say.......... oh how so stupid. Entertainers, Entrepreneurs, Health Professionals are always signing their name on the back of a check. Go get a life. You can say what you want to say after this post.....because I've said what I had to say!!!!!

I completely disagree with your rebuttal. While I was shocked to read Crucial Crimson's policy on cornrows I cannot justify your attack. (not that you asked for it)

As someone that has recently gone natural it hurts to know that a fellow AA would have a no cornrow policy but as she stated, it is HER business. She is not breaking any laws. If I were interviewing in her office and was offered the position, I would simply turn it down after learning about the policy. She could either change her policy to accomodate ONE employee or simply wish me luck on my job search. I think the latter is the more logical choice.

I have been wearing cornrows off and on for about 6 years, not counting my youth. I must admit that since I am now working part time in a corporate environment there are certain cornrow styles that I would not wear there. I would not wear multi colored, circular or zig zagged cornrows. If i got single braids I would keep the hair SIMPLE. I see Crucial Crimson's policy as way to avoid splitting hairs (pun intended ) over which styles are appropriate.

Nappies: There are businesses that will accept our hair. Let's find them and move on.

[Knowledge1922]

i agree with Crucial Crimson.

everything depends on the culture of your work environment.

i would not consider cornrows professional for a corporate environment. maybe micros that were in updos, buns, etc.

i think natural hair is ok, as long as it is healthy and well kept (short fros, well managed curls)

[astrikingbeauty]

Nappy & Happy:
You're right it's her place of business and I stated an opinion toward her NOT you!!!!! Now what I wanted to state is my business and you know what...I'm not asking you to agree with me, I could care less if you do or don't.
I still stand beside what I said "now what"!!!!