Should Black Women Straighten Their Hair or Lighten Their Skin?
Do Black women need to adjust their appearance—such as straighten their hair or lighten their skin—to be successful in corporate America? And are those women who attempt to look “less Black” selling out?
Racism & Colorism in the Black Community
The University of Pennsylvania held a “hair-itage” symposium on the challenging politics of Black hair, led by Associate Professor of Religious Studies Anthea Butler, to demystify the versatility of Black hair and encourage Black women to embrace the beauty of their natural Blackness and appearance.
The issue of whether mostly white corporate America allows Black women—and others from underrepresented groups—to be their “whole selves” while succeeding is relevant to the recent debate over R&B singer India.Arie, who is defending the cover art for her new single, “Cocoa Butter.”
While various news outlets say that the singer’s drastically lightened skin color—and rumors of skin bleaching—are “absolutely ridiculous” and simply an effect of intense lighting, Twitter users were quick to slam Arie for her creative choice to not color-correct the photo.
“It’s not the lights, even if it’s make up! Why India Arie!? This isn’t You! Please tweet her and ask her why…” said hip-hop artist Rhymefest.
Arie has been a vocal advocate for Black beauty with songs like “I Am Not My Hair” and “Brown Skin” and also spoke out regarding the controversial casting of Zoe Saldana, a biracial actress, as the lead in the upcoming Nina Simone biopic, which many in the Black community consider “whitewashing.”
Watch this Huffington Post Panel discuss “The Color Complex.”
Corporate America: Racism, Biases Toward Black Hair & Skin Color
The larger issue—rather, #skinversation, as Arie calls it—is racism and colorism in the Black community, which ultimately carries over into the workplace.
In his popular Ask the White Guy column “Do Blacks Need to Relax Their Natural Hair to Get Promoted?” DiversityInc CEO Luke Visconti writes:
There’s no doubt in my mind that Black people have been overlooked for promotions because of natural hair or darker skin color. Psychological tests show that people most trust people who look like them. Since white men run most corporations in this country, straightened hair and/or lighter skin is going to be an advantage (disturbing, but let’s keep it real).
Visconti also notes that these types of biases and stereotypes, if left unchecked, can negatively affect your business by reducing a company’s competitive advantage, ability to recruit/retain top talent and its potential for innovation. Allowing employees to bring their whole selves to work (whether that means your appearance, your orientation or your background), and not fear that they will be judged by stereotypes and biases, is key to driving an inclusive corporate culture.
How do you get that? It starts at the top with clearly stated values of inclusion from the CEO and senior executives and is supported by cultural-competence education, which occurs through having active resource groups spreading the word, role models from underrepresented groups in your succession plan, and formal, cross-cultural mentoring relationships that teach high-potentials how to succeed in corporate environments without sacrificing their identities.
9:48 am
While the greatest barriers remain for Black women regarding hair and color, there are also barriers regarding hair and appearance for others. Have you ever noticed how most evangelical male leaders, conservative male politicians, and male politicians in general, have similar hair styles? You’ll also see similar hair styles for many male news anchors. And males in those areas very rarely have any facial hair. And we can’t overlook how female news anchors almost always have to be very attractive – and light-skinned for the most part and has there ever been one with braids or corn-rows. Some of the cable news women look like models. What happens to the less attractive aspiring to be news anchors?
1:35 pm
Hear, hear! I’m glad you mentioned these points! The “broadcast media” powers-that-be have apparently determined that EVERYONE must:
1. Be slender, with near-perfect to perfect bodies and perfectly proportioned shapes–so all you medium-to-big-boned folks and heavier-busted folks NEED NOT APPLY;
2. Have tiny little Barbie-doll noses–look at all the female news anchors with re-designed noses crafted by surgeons;
3. Have straight BLONDE hair, unless you’re a male, in which case, you are allowed to be BRUNETTE or even
AUBURN-HAIRED. Notice that most female anchors (who are natural brunettes)have all kinds of blonde frosting, tipping and streaking to go with their brown and black ROOTS.
Unfortunately, too many workplaces have swallowed the
“Barbie-Ken-Skipper-Alan-Midge” image, and do reject candidates who do not have anorexic bodies and salon
“makeovers.”
9:22 am
Listen, I am not straightening my hair and damn sure not lightening my skin. The problem is that we keep changing our looks to please other people. Until we learn to accept ourselves, no one else will.
1:44 pm
Our society pressures EVERYONE–including African-americans–to “do something” about how they look–even when unnecessary! How many Asian/Euro women spend millions of dollars on curly perms and body perms? How many Euro-american women get melanoma and other cancers trying desperately to “add color” to their skin–the same color they despise on African-americans? How many women ADD harmful chemical implants to imitate Black bustlines and derrieres? How many women of Asian descent get surgery to alter their eyes to “Western” looks?
American society basically teaches everyone that, even if they are HEALTHY and have a GOOD body mass index, it’s NEVER ENOUGH!
12:15 pm
In my opinion, the more pressing element for Black folks in terms of career development is the discomfort that many white colleagues still have with informal interactions – i.e., travel, socializing, etc. Also, the lingering beliefs about not being intellectually qualified and competent still linger. As for skin color, I do believe that white folks do still feel more comfortable with lighter skin Black folks. As for hair, I believe that the bigger issue for Black folks when considering career opportunities that involve relocation, both domestically and internationally, is the challenge of where will I get my hair done without needing to drive several hours.
2:00 pm
Your choice of workplace (assuming you have such a thing as “choice” these days!) also determines how you can look or dress for work. For example, most school districts in urban areas have a greater variety of “ethnic looks” permitted teachers and other staff–most urban districts will not penalize workers for ethnic hairstyles or religious head gear (turbans, yarmulkes, headscarves, etc.)
However, many school districts will not hire ANY candidate that shows up with GREY HAIR–despite all their posted signs displaying federal anti-discrimination laws. In the education industry, you are still competing with the cute, young slender pretty and/or handsome things coming out of college/graduate
school–and you better NOT look your age if you expect to be hired by a school board. This is how much the broadcast media image of “Barbie-Ken dolls” has permeated other American workplaces….and to everyone’s detriment!
11:27 am
Black women should do whatever they want once they are aware that none of that stuff will make them “not black”. Like other women Black women like to beautify themselves and they should have the freedom to do so without judgement.