The reality for black women
đ¤ Amal Ahmed ¡ 23/11/2022 ¡ Quick read
Professionalism versus hair
The eurocentric beauty standard on black women has not only been apparent in the media, but also in the day to day life for the average black woman. In an effort to seem "professional" at work, the issue of black women's hair has persisted. Due to long-standing prejudice and hair discrimination, many black people, especially women, have experienced workplace discrimination in one manner or another. Numerous black persons in the US and the UK have faced pressure to change their preferred hairstyle for fear of losing their jobs.. A study made by Dove shows that 63% of Black adults have faced hair discrimination, 25% of Black adults have been sent home from work or faced disciplinary action as a result of wearing their hair in a natural or protected style, and 58% of Black adults say that hair discrimination has impacted their ability to advance at work.
How laws has been made to protect black hair
The EEOC published its Compliance Manual on Race and Color Discrimination in 2006, outlining the rules for what constitutes workplace physical characteristic discrimination. The guideline guards against âemployment discrimination based on a personâs physical characteristics associated with race, such as a personâs color, hair, facial features, height and weight.âAccording to the law, employers are permitted to set neatness and grooming requirements as long as racial disparities are taken into account and the standards are applied equally to all employees. Because an afro is black hair in its natural state, for example, employers are not allowed to discriminate against an employee who wears one. Employers may ask for an afro to be styled, but they cannot dictate that it not be worn at all. Neither can they impose stricter standards on black people's haircuts. The CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) was also established in 2019 making it illegal to discriminate based on hair texture and style in 19 states of the US.
Did you know?
- A Black woman is 80% more likely to change her natural hair to meet social norms or expectations at work
- Black women are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home or know of a Black woman sent home from the workplace because of her hair
- 1 in 2 Black children have experienced hair discrimination as early as five years old â and the impact can last a lifetime
Dove, 2019
what can you do?
As our reader you are able to make a difference!
To support the CROWN Act you can sign their petition to legislate the law making it illegal to discriminate based on hair, so that it's not only the 19 states but hopefully all 50 states that passes the law.
Link for petition:
https://www.dove.com/us/en/stories/campaigns/the-crown-act.html
