I'm not gonna get all teary eyed about this issue. My girls and I already knew the "hush, hush" views towards black girls and their hair styles from the corporate Caucasian sector. It's so lame that this has even come up, but it is reality. For some reason, I truly believed that my natural hair really didn't matter, especially in NYC. I've been going to interviews with top publishing firms feeling real confident about myself and it's sad to actually think that maybe I didn't get the job because some superficial loser overlooked my qualifications for my "political-powertothepeople" hair style. Damn, aint that a bitch!Let me save up to buy a Chi so I can assimilate to white America! This same issue happened to my mother about 15 years a go. She was a sales exec at Fedex and they told her to take her ethnic braids out after she had already spent nearly $200. My mother was so tight! But what could she do? She had 2 kids to feed. Let me stop before I get upset...lets talk about it!! I expect some good posts about this topic.
The Story- So apparently the Junior Beauty Editor over at Glamour decided to give a group of lawyers including African American women advice on Corporate Fashion etiquette
Here's what the junior editor said to the law firm:
"First slide up: an African American woman sporting an Afro. A real no-no, announced the 'Glamour' editor to the 40 or so lawyers in the room. As for dreadlocks: How truly dreadful! The style maven said it was 'shocking' that some people still think it 'appropriate' to wear those hairstyles at the office. 'No offense,' she sniffed, but those 'political' hairstyles really have to go."
LMAO- she wanted to lose her job. I'm sure all 5 sista's at Conde Nast are calling for her resignation right now!
This is total & utter BS! If they dictate our hair I want to pull their tanning, bronzer, ALL BED-HAIR products, &all other products/techniques which assist those resembling the many shades&hair styles of a BLACK female! WTH; skip racist... man/woman its a DAMN magazine company...not a strip club for high rollers. My hair is neat(& not to offend people), but an extension of my individualism... Can I start cappin' on "glamour women" & their EYEYBROWS? Just thinkWOMEN OF COLOR HAVE to be TWICE as good to be seen...Ladies let it be a lesson I learned awhile ago...until you get your foot in the door...&then you can... Things haven't changed EXCEPT the year...know their world so when step out into your own you know what NOT to do. I'm signing off... THAT'S THE MESSAGE!
ReplyDeleteWow. I keep trying to respond to this, but I can't seem to find the words. I don't even know what to say about this. She needs to be fired. She needs to be fired. That's all I can come up with because the rest, the overall implications are just too daunting to address right now. I'm in the process of transitioning into my natural hair and I'm also about to begin interviewing for jobs. To think that my hair would be an issue, that uniformed people would make assumptions, negative assumptions, about who I am based on what they see is disturbing. Especuially when I'm sitting across from them, telling them who I am with my words and credentials. She needs to be fired.
ReplyDeleteComing from a girl who LOVES to pick out her afro quite often can I just say that this is TOTAL BS!?!?! Its unfortunate that natural styles (locks, braids, 'fros, etc.) are seen as unproffessional and "political". WTF? Not all women have, nor want to have stringy, oily 'white girl' hair. I am in the US Air Force where they recently banned locks. I considered filing a complaint (although I dont plan on growing locks til Im 50). But I find this rule and rules like this to be incredibly racist and foolish. How can the value of strong, beautiful, talented and intelligent women be based on their hairstyle? Im proud to have thick, crazy, curly, unruly textured hair and I wont change it for shit!
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