Natural Hair in the Workplace: Why Is This Battle Still Being Fought?

One morning I woke up, looked in the mirror, and made the decision to go natural.  Although it seemed like a very sporadic decision, it wasn’t. I hadn’t been natural since I was in the 5^th grade.  I could remember going to the salon for the first time; and sitting in the chair patiently waiting for my hair to turn out like Tyra Banks’ hair in the movie Life Size.  The smell of the relaxer was one to remember; it smelled like boiled eggs. I could remember squirming in the chair as the coolness of the relaxer was placed in my hair.  I became very dependent on the relaxers or “creamy crack,” what it’s commonly called in the natural hair world; I would get relaxers every two or three months. Then I chose to go natural in search for a healthier alternative for my hair.  Relaxers can severely damage your hair due to how strong the chemicals in the relaxers are. I started off with extremely long hair, but as time went on the chemicals in the relaxer forced me to trim, and sometimes cut my hair in order for the damage to not spread. Natural hair gave me a new outlook on life; I was tired of society dictating what was beautiful (in regards to hair). After graduating from undergrad I realized how much of a setback having natural hair can be in regards to the workplace.  Wearing your natural hair in the workplace should be your choice, not your employers’.

            After months of not hearing back from the firms I had applied to for employment, I finally received a call to go on an interview for a company based in Atlanta.  I was extremely nervous because I knew that this position could open the doors for me.  I decided to wear my hair out; since my hair is naturally curly, I didn’t see why I shouldn’t.  As I walked in the office I realized that there were other people waiting to be interviewed for the same position.  I went in and just knew that I had the job. A few weeks later, I got a letter in the mail stating that I didn’t have the “professional” look that the company was looking for.  I was extremely taken aback because I didn’t know what they meant by “unprofessional.”  After a few days of pondering I realized that my hair was the issue.  I couldn’t believe my hair would become the leading and determining factor for me not getting this position. I did not agree with the employer, and thought that judging someone based on his or her appearance was a form of discrimination.  What makes natural hair “unprofessional”? Is it because it doesn’t fit into the Eurocentric standards of beauty? Or is it because the hair is done in a manner in which it genuinely doesn’t look professional? I will choose the latter of the two. Many critics of natural hair deem it to be very unprofessional and inappropriate for the workplace and corporate America.  I see this differently, I see natural hair like any other style; you “rock” it because you like it, and it defines your style.  Your hair shouldn’t define who you are or what you’re capable of being. 

            Hampton University’s School of Business placed a ban on dreadlocks and cornrows in the classroom back in 2001. The dean of the School of Business stated, “The ban had been successful in helping students land corporate jobs.”  The bigger question is, should you conform to the norms of the corporate world, like the dean suggests?  Of course not! Does that not take away freedoms that we inevitably have?  Conforming says that having natural hair is not acceptable.  Although I do agree to an existent, it’s all about maintaining a professional look. Styles such as Mohawks and excessive hair coloring should be banned due to the lack of professionalism.  Corporate jobs should be more focused on your credentials and not on your natural look.

            As I sit and listen to India Arie’s “I Am Not My Hair”, I realized that some corporate companies may never understand natural hair, and that’s fine.  My job isn’t to conform to these corporate companies, but rather seek for change and better understanding in the workplace, and show that you can’t be defined by your hair.  You can be professional while being true to yourself and your natural hair.  We must show these corporate companies that looking at our credentials is more important than looking at our hair texture.

What are you thoughts on natural hair in the workplace?

-Britt Daise-
Urban Echelon Magazine & Blogspot