Comments on: Do Blacks Need to Relax Their Natural Hair to Get Promoted?

By: tonebone

tonebone — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 17:53:35 +0000

NO!!

African-American women…. DO NOT relax your hair! Unless it is for deep, personal reason. Screw whatever desires some stupid employer has. Be who you are at all times.

I’m a product of the 60s, and I still have images of Angela Davis and her gorgeous, giant afro, burned into my mind.

Nothing is more beautiful than a woman that accepts her body as God intended it. Treat your bodies as the temples they are, eat healthy, be righteous. But to change something like curly-hair, because some filthy capitalist likes it better…. well, that’s just accepting [their] messed up views, that you are inferior, in some way.

Blow-off the Barbie-look. Curls rock.

By: Michelle Karman

Michelle Karman — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:58:46 +0000

I’ve been natural for the past 5 years and feel FREE. I will never again process my hair for anyone, white or black or otherwise, if they don’t like it, they can stick it.

By: sauske

sauske — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:25:32 +0000

I work at a theme park during the summer. One of the rules of the theme park is no dreadlocks. I do not have dreadlocks but the rule seemed peculiar to me. I do not think it is fair that employees with dreadlocks have to wear wigs.

By: G.

G. — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:48:54 +0000

I find it to be a problem also for Men of color as well for Women when it comes to our hair. You are looked at as strange object. As for me I dig a lady off color to wear her natural hair, I guess it what I grew up with in our house hold my mom only wore her hair as it was, and she had many styles with her natural look. So I support you ladies who choose to wear it was you are born with.

By: Luke Visconti

Luke Visconti — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:41:02 +0000

Read my column about it: Ask the White Guy: Why the ‘B’ in ‘Black’ Is Capitalized at DiversityInc. Luke Visconti, CEO, DiversityInc

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 03:32:40 +0000

I was just wondering, not rudely, but curiously, why the “B” in “black” was capitalised, but not the “W” in “white”. Just an observation.

By: Cincinnati

Cincinnati — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 14:33:31 +0000

It depends. I relax my hair but hate the time consuming straightening process after I wash it, so I mostly wear my hair natural (which is thick with a frizzy curl). Most of my co-workers and peers are white and have plainly said my hair looks better when it’s natural. From informal conversation, white people assume natural hair is cleaner and washed more frequently than straight hair (with the exception of locks, which they incorrectly assume is never washed). So I don’t know if they think my hair really looks better natural, or if they prefer it natural because they assume it’s clean.

Oddly, my black peers and co-workers are the one’s who say things like “Oh, you’re wearing the nappy look today” or “I see you’ve got the wild Afro look today.” Older black women are usually the most harsh, and will say things like “I know a good hairdresser” or “Young lady, why don’t you do something about that hair.”

By: anonymous

anonymous — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 05:27:50 +0000

So true, well said!

By: S R J

S R J — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:58:24 +0000

Love all the comments. I am excited to know these ladies did not alter their look to get a job or to be accepted. I am natural and have friends that are natural. When some may have an interview they want to get their hair straighten.
I am glad I came across this site because I am a speaker and I wanted to address career development and natural hair at a Conference. There are a number of people that do not believe or want to admit your look (Black Natural Hair) will hinder your career advancement.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:48:36 +0000

Thank you for addressing this issue. Great points. I don’t feel like I have to wear a wig to be accepted in Corporate America. If they cannot acceot change, that’s talent they lose. It has nothing to do with me. I recently went to an interview in an Afro. Didn’t get teh job obviously. 2 months later, I got a call that I was reconsidered for the position. The interview happened 2 months later. 2 weeks later, the same woman who didn’t hire me the first time did hire me. Here’s the catch: I didn’t have my Afro. I had a short Ceasar cut and 2 weeks later she offered me a job. I didn’t take it. Why? She basically told me in so many words what was accepted and what wasn’t. I will not work for someone that will not allow me to be me. My Afro was going to return in the late fall and early winter. Was she gonna fire me because I wore my Afro again? I wasn’t taking that chance. Her loss, not mine.