In 2010, Chastity Jones, an African American woman searching for a job, searched online for employment. Mrs. Jones submitted a job application with a company called Catastrophe Management Solutions (CMS). a company based in Mobile, AL. She applied to be a customer service Representative, which required just basic computer skills, handling the phone and a few other things. Along with 30 other applications. she was invited to an interview for this position. She wore a very professional business suit, along with her dreads. CMS gave her a job offer, considering she met all the required skills for that position. Jones then met privately with the resource manager. Jeannie Wilson. just to reschedule the required lab tests. Wilson then informed Mrs. Jones that if she continued to wear dreadlocks, she could no longer hire her.
Wilson explained to Mrs. Jones that “they tend to get messy although I‘m not saying yours are, but you know what I’m talking about” (Dr. Wendy Greene) Jones refused the condition they were putting her through. took back her initial paperwork and left the building. For many years, people of African American descent have been forced to alter their natural hair to obtain employment. African American women have especially been targeted. People have said that their hair is “unkempt”, and “unprofessional.” “dirty,”and “messy.” As a result. to avoid these stereotypical images, African descendant women have stayed wearing straightened hairstyles or even went as far as relaxing their natural hair.
The substantive provisions of title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act make it unlawful for an employer to: To fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms. conditions, or privileges of employment because of such individuals race, color. religion. sex, or national origin; or to limit, segregate, or classify his employees or applications for employment in any way which would deprive any individual of employment opportunities or otherwise adveresly affect his status as an employee, because of such individual‘s race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Another unlawful ractial discrimination case, is when an 11 year American Airlines employee, wore her hair in comrows to her workplace. American Airlines then decided to implement a grooming policy that prohibited their employees from wearing braided hairstyles.
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According to Cadwell, “Because the no-braids rule applied to all employees without regard to race or gender, to countenance [Rodgers‘] claim that the rule affected her as a black woman would provide her with a benefit or privilege – a super remedy – not available to other employees Thus, [thel Rodgers [court] missed the point : women of color should not necessarily be denied relief because a challenged employment practice does not harm the men of their racial group or white women (D. Wendy Greene)” Rodgers then explained that comrows were “historically, a fashion and style adopted by Black American women, reflective of the cultural, historical essence of Black women in American society” (D. Wendy Greene). The court concluded that American Airlines did not violate the racial discrimination act. They stated that her comrows were not natural.
They said that an afro was natural, and if she were to have been wearing an afro, then they would have violated it, but since she was wearing an “unprofessional” and “unnatural” hairstyle, they did not do anything wrong putting that rule into place. In November of 2015, natural hair in the workplace became a topic in CNN News when Maria Borges, an Angolan model wore her hair short, natural hair in the Victoria’s Secret fashion show By her doing this, it prompted the query: “when will black women‘s hair stop making history?” In an interview, she states, “I told my agent I wanted to walk in the Victoria‘s Secret show with my natural hair.” “I was nervous, but I had to do it. When they said ‘yes,‘ I didn;t expect it, but I was so happy” (Lisa Respers)! When people think of models, especially their hair, they would normally describe it as long, lucious and bouncy.
For Borges to even ask her agent to do this shows how brave and courageous she is. She has gained so much support. and now you see models wearing their natural hair on the runway frequentlyt In the past few years, African American hair has been addressed in a negative way in public attention, finally giving the issue serious attention First, in 2012, meteorologist Rhonda Lee wore her natural hair as she broadcasted the weather on television. A white viewer said in a facebook post that instead of wearing her natural hair, even though it was neat and nicely put together. she should instead wear a wig and cover up her natural hair because it did not look good, Lee responded in a respectful way. stating that it was her natural hair and she was proud of it Lee was then terminated from her position Second, in June of 2013. an Ohio charter elementary school tried to ban afro puffs and twists – which were both popular hairstyles worn by African American little girls.
After receiving attention from all around the world, the school then apologized and said that that banning was meant to be banned for the little boys Lastly, in 2014 the US. The Army banned certain natural hairstyles, which were commonly worn by African American women. One black female soldier said, ” I either get a wig or be NJPed (non-judicially punished), all because of the way my hair grows naturally” (Bennett- Alexander, Dawn D, and Linda F. Harrison)” These incidents are only a few of many. Black women have been receiving hate for hundreds of years, just because their hair doesn’t grow naturally like white women. For a job to say they will not hire you because their hair is ‘unprofessional’ is completely wrong and unprofessional on their part. Why make someone feel as if the way they were naturally born isn’t enough or isn‘t professional.
African American women play a game of tug-of-war often. Asking themselves questions that only they can answer. Should they keep their hair natural, or should they relax it. Should they wear it straightened or wear it naturally? Should they put weave in it, or put a wig over it. Should they wear their natural hair color, or should they dye and highlight it. Should they twist, braid or lock it, or should they keep it the way it is. These are all questions they ask themselves daily. Since no one recognized the beauty of their natural hair, they felt as if they had no choice but to do something with it, even if it made them upset, or unhappy, To this day some still say that natural hair is not professional and unkempt, but you also see more women wearing their natural hair around not paying attention to what people are saying about their hair. Some African American women have grown to love their natural curls and texture to the point where they don‘t even pay attention to the hate that they get.
Every hair type, hair length. and hair color is beautiful. Everyone is born differently, and that‘s what makes you unique. You should never try and change yourselfjust because someone has told you too, especially if you are not happy with that change and you like the way that you already are. In April 1999, Andrea Santee, a African American woman, applied for a housekeeping position at the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana. At the time of her interview, her hair was dyed blonde. During her interview. the Executive Housekeeper informed Santee that they had a policy prohibiting their employees from wearing extreme hair colors to work. She then asked Santee if she was willing to change her hair color back to natural so she can get the job, which Santee refused. She sued the hotel for race discrimination, claiming that the hotel denied her employment due to her hair dyed blonde.
The federal district court responded to her by saying “A hiring policy that distinguished on any ground [aside from immutable characteristics], such as hair color, “is related more closely to the employer’s choice on how to run his business than to equality of employment opportunity.” [Title VII] should not be used “to limit an employer’s right to exercise his informed judgement as to how best to run his shop” (D. Wendy Greene). The court then decided that Santee excluded herself from being hired because she refused to change her hair color. But why should she have to change herself just to obtain a job? The answer is, she shouldn’t have too. This court case was later dismissed and the judge bascially blamed her for not being willing to change her hair color. So when will discrimination agaisnt natural hair end? Because African American women get so much hate for wearing their natural hair, they end up doubting themselves that they are even beautuful. In ads and movies all you see in long, flowing, straight hair. which is the complete opposite of black womens hair.
