Short story: I have curly hair. But I straighten it for work to appear “professional.” Or I wear a bun to look “serious.”
These ideas were shaped by social norms + experiences where I’ve been the only woman in the room or dealt w sexual harassment/bias.
But when my 15yo niece visited last week, I marveled at her stunning curls. “It just dries this way,” she said.
And it dawned on me - Wait, mine does too! Or would if I paid less attention to cultural expectations. So I think I’ll do that now.
Despite some progress over the past few years, race-based hair discrimination still remains a widespread issue for Black women in the workplace. A recent study showed that Black women’s hair was two-and-a-half times more likely to be perceived as unprofessional, and one-fifth of the Black women surveyed between the ages of 25 and 34 had been sent home from work because of their hair. Although 20 states have adopted the CROWN Act, which prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and protective styles including braids, twists, and locs, hair discrimination is not prohibited at a federal level in the U.S. To address and mitigate hair bias and discrimination, company leaders should focus on the following three areas: awareness, employee feedback, and objectivity.
Sheril Kirshenbaum
Eva Chanda
Agora