Imagine this: You walk into an interview feeling confident, only to be told that while your resume is impressive and they believe you do have the skills, your appearance doesn’t quite "fit" the company's culture. But it’s not even about your clothes—it’s about your hair.
For many Black individuals this isn’t hypothetical. It’s a reality they face in workplaces around the world, where natural hairstyles like locs, braids, and afros are seen as unprofessional. But what if the tables were turned? What if the expectation to change your hair was a condition of employment for non-Black people?
This was heart and center when I went around in my neighborhood of Bedstuy in Brooklyn and asked: Would you alter your hair for a job? I wanted to know how non-Black people would respond when faced with a demand that is almost always expected for Black women but raises eyebrows for others.
Curious to see where the conversation would lead, I approached non-Black individuals who were willing to talk about Black hair and asked 5 questions:
- Can you name a few Black Hairstyles?
- Are they allowed in the place where you work?
- Would you alter your hair for a job?
- Why do you think it is a requirement for Black people?
When I asked, would you alter your hair for a job, without missing a beat, she said, "No! I mean... I don't know... maybe if I was desperate, but probably no."
That hesitation, the "maybe if I was desperate," speaks volumes. The requirement to change ones hair, only comes up if a color is out of the ordinary or a hairstyle is extreme. Natural hairstyles are none of these.
Hair and the Workplace
There’s a history here: the pressure to change natural hairstyles like locs, afros, and braids to fit what’s considered "professional", is a reality many still face.
So, when I asked her why she thought Black people are required to alter their hair for work, her response was quick and straightforward: "Racism," she said with a little laugh.
That laugh, though—it’s like an acknowledgment of a harsh truth that we all know exists and it's a great moment when it sinks in.
Why I do what I do
The layers of racism these questions reveal need to be explored. The majority of White people have no idea that Black women needed to and have been altering their hair for centuries, just to comply to standards that have been destroying not just their hair texture but possibly even their health. There are a couple of cases against relaxer companies because their seems to be a correlation between certain cancers and the hair straightening chemicals.
This, Black hair in the workplace, is not a Black issue. It's a societal issue and we need to create awareness.
By asking these questions to non-Black individuals, I am flipping the script, hoping to make clear how insane it is to demand people to alter their hair based to meet a standard based on a completely different hair texture.
The Crown Act, which has been passed in a few states now, is fighting this by making it illegal to discriminate based on hair. But the fact that we even need laws like this shows just how far we still have to go.
What Do You Think?
Did you enjoy this blog? Then come and join the conversation at the BAD Hair Uprooted Exhibition on October 10th at the Billy Holiday Theatre. If you like to support please download my book.
