Do Blacks Need to Relax Their Natural Hair to Get Promoted?

I haven't relaxed my hair in years...I wear the texture that grows out of my head, just like all my caucasian, Asian, and Latino counterparts. It's ridiculous to suggest that an entire race of people are intrinsically "unprofessional" due to their natural physical features. You might as well try to have a rule against Asian eyes...or naturally blonde hair. Good luck with that.

I wear my hair in curly fros, afro puffs, twists, up-dos, braids, you name it. I am a director in my company...I have interviewed with my natural hair, attended board meetings, negotiated contracts, and executed every other part of my job. I didn't feel the need to straighten my hair, bleach my skin, or eradicate any of my other racial characteristics. My compentence speaks for itself.

I'm a white guy. In regards to the corporate world's acceptance to hair styles, I can attest that men also have to deal with similar problems. The key is 'grooming' to fit a corporate model of what is considered 'appropriate' or 'professional'. Unfortunately natural hair, afros, really long (waist length) hair for women, really big hair, long or artificially colored hair for men, beards and mustaches, can all be no-no's. There is no contempt by whites when blacks wear afros. It is however an UNGROOMED look when compared to relaxed hair. It is also out-of-style, much like a guy showing up for work with a greasy 1950s pompadour or a bowl haircut. Professional work places are all about grooming and conformity. Look around and see how many guys have 1970's style hair. Do they even still make Jehri Curl? Think about the problems black men with dreads could have in the workplace. Or the brother with the big afro. The blond dude with the ponytail. Men are expected to have a clean, neatly groomed look, or military style hair. Men have more recently been going with no hair. Bald, and not because hair is falling out. This is acceptable nowdays but 20 or 30 years ago this would have been taboo. Grow a patch out on the top and shave the sides, that's police style, but grow a thin strip instead, and that's a mohawk, and that's considered completely unprofessional. See where this is going? I have no problem with anyone sporting hair or beard as nature intended. I used to have hair past my shoulders. Thin, stringy mess of wavy split ends, a 'natural' if you will. Yeah I got hassled for it. Meanwhile, women wore little boy haircuts, permed, treated, colored, braided, bleached, extended, or put-up hair styles with no problem, so why not an afro? Men get the same runaround for not shaving or sporting a fu manchu. I guarantee a man will get flack about his facial hair or his cornrows or ponytail, to the point of being coerced to shave or cut, before women will be required to alter their personal styles. Non-professional they say. What a crock. Ladies, wear your hair the way you like it. If you feel so inclined, go natural. It is a sad thing when the corporate world gives a person trouble wearing hair in its natural state, period!

Oh, the natural hair thing. People there is nothing wrong with having natural hair and depending on how it is worn, I have seen plenty of sisters in the work place with a head full of nice natural curls. There are women with curls, women with nice smooth short naturals, and women who have natural hair pulled back in a low slung chignon. When worn correctly, no one will complain. However, if you go into work with nappy uncombed, hair, month old dirty extension braids, expect people to reject you. Just because your hair is natural does not mean that you don't have to comb or groom it. Also, we aren't the ONLY people with this type of hair. Jewish people have a range of hair just as we do and they deal with it. The secret is to not cut it into a length that is not able to be managed. Also dreadlocks are not "black" hair. It is more or less associated with a religion.

 Let's keep it real ladies!  The way we were our hair should not be an issue, but it is to some both Blacks and Whites.  So just because you get compliments on your natural hair style--good for you.  Nonetheless, the issue of natural hair sytles does exit in many other places.

 Thanks, that was definitely an interesting article. My old manager said
something only once to me about my hair after I cut out the relaxer, but
I kindly let her know not to take it there or it could/would become an
HR issue. I wash my hair every other day so it's definitely clean nor
did I wear it big and out at work I tried to keep it conservativly
pulled back or up in a bun or a puff. She told me it maynot be
conservative enough for the workplace, and the really sad thing to me is
that she herself is a black woman! My hair is healthier than it has been
in a really long time, more managable than I ever imagined, and as long
as it's not a henderance to my job or others I say get off my back. What
are your thoughts? 

 I really enjoy your column, how it has the ability to shake it up.....but I had to write in to post a question to your question? Why is there such a discussion about how someone wears their hair? I am a dark-skinned black women. I wear a weave, (not as long as Naomi Campbell but close) I never think I look more "white" or that I will fit in more now because of long hair. It was my personal choice to choose this hair style. I find it more than tiresome to consistently try to prove who I am (I know I am black). White people are not the only people with straight hair! It is insane to me for someone to think that I am any less black because of the way that I wear my hair. I read a few of the comments from above.....I am black/african-american, meaning I was born here in the USA, not Africa. I am not discounting my "roots", I Love my people there and here. I am doing nothing more than expressing my right to individuality. I look the way I want, if my daughter or friends wear natural hair that is "their" choice. Let the argument be about the lack of acceptance, not the choice.

 I was glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks that Obama being elected is giving some people a false sense of security. His presidency proves that all is possible but not at all does it mean the racial obstacles are gone. When it comes to hair in corporate America, you not only have to deal with the white perception of natural hair but some unexposed and hypocritical Blacks as well. Some of us have been told to straighten that nappy hair for so long we believe there is truly something wrong with natural hair. I straightened or relaxed my hair until I had the opportunity to experience professional, proud Black people with natural hair. It truly opened my world. I can't tell you how many positive reactions I got from people that were not Black versus people who were. Still, I know that many job interviews came and went without results because of my locks. But my locks came at a time in my life when I began to ask questions, know myself and become content with myself. So I'm really not ready to trade that for straight hair and a job at a cookie cutter company that pays lip service to diversity but doesn't practice it.

 I am an African American student who also works in a federal govt. building and I have been wearing locs for 2 years and have not had any issues, when I started my locs I was working in the private sector, the positive comments far out weighed the negative ones and even then the negative comments unfortunatly came from other people of color.

 AWESOME ARTICLE!!! I respect all the comments that have been made as well as the the young lady who came forth with the question.  We all as black women have worn our hair natural until for me, it just got to the point I wanted to be able to manage my hair a little bit better. Yes God did make us as he did and in his own image but I'm sure he knew from day one we would be faced with life's issues such as being called "nappy head", etc...so I believe He put the knowledge in the minds of both blacks and and some whites to come up with something to enhance the beauty we already possess.  I do agree that it should not be an issue in today's society but as a witness it is true that not only is it the whites in corporate america who have to tell our sisters and brothers to "do something with their hair styles", twists, locs, etc..., but its our own (meaning black brothers and sisters) who are managers and supervisors.  Much respect and love to my natural hair wearing sisters! I just don't want to be natural in the hair now that I have choices and I don't think God is going to disregard me for using chemicals on my hair.  We put chemicals in our body when we have to take medications and through the foods we eat. Thanks Luke for keeping it real!   

 Very relevenat topic, and one that is often not discussed to the detriment of all concerned. I have seen so many black women come into jobs with their natural style, african styles and as they have opportunities to progress you invariably see the hair going from natural to relaxed. This is something that should not be happening, but it is becoming a problem and even the sisters that start out with the natural style are part of the problem, because they make the initial statement, but then decide (in many instances not all of course) to just see the terrain and make the change to a more "mainstream" style. This is so backwards that this they have to make these decisions, but also a problem that only black people really can do anything about. My wife wears locks nd has for 15 years, she recently mentioned thinking of straightening her hair and I was bowled over by this and had very strong opinions against her doing it, and hopefully she will not do it,but the fact that a strong woman like my wife, (who looks incredible with her locks by the way) would consider such a thing makes me even more aware that for us to really move forward, situations like this need to be attacked and awareness still needs to be raised. It is not the job of black women to make their white counterparts feel more comfortable with their style.

 I loved this post! My heart goes out to the woman who asked the questions about skin tone and hair texture in relation to perceived professionalism. It must be so frustrating to move to America from an African nation and deal with such blatant racism and ignorance.

I think you handled your response well, but I also believe that your response was a little more optimistic than realistic - at least for the moment. Obama's victory is a wonderful thing, but as another blog reader responded, American whites can "relate" to Obama and claim him as half their own. He's more like everyone and less like the average black American. And his wife's hair is relaxed.
This "blacks must be like us" mentality stretches across the spectrum. It's not just politics and media. I worked in fashion for years and would hear whites tout how they see dark-skinned American models all of the time. No, they saw Naomi Campbell (a black British model with her annoyingly long, straight, almost Asian weave/lace front wig/fake hair look) all of the time and a small percentage of medium toned European looking models. OR exotic African models who don't look much like your average African-American.
Hair and skin toned prejudice is still alive and well in America. Hopefully that is changing, but we're not there, yet.

 How right on time this article is. My daughter works for a call center and had begun to wear twists in her hair. She was told by her manager that she would have to do something about her hair style as it is very unprofessional and they work in a professional atmosphere.

I was really shocked at this as I was under the impression that any hair style you choose for your self as long as it is neat and clean you should be able to wear it.

I cannot understand why Black hair is such an issue in the work place.

Forty years ago in my workplace in NYC I wore my hair au naturale' (a very large Afro) and I had no problems. Every now and then some smart aleck would say did you stick your finger in a light socket? I laughed right along with them because I knew the ignorance behing the comment.

I guess what I am saying is your hair should not be equated to your intelligence and the ability to perfrom your job duties.

 Luke,
First, thank you for the service you give in this column.  I greatly enjoy reading it and your perspective.  I agree with most of your response.  For the record, I am a black, professional woman.  However, I strongly disagree with your closing thoughts that began with:

"However, please consider this carefully: Sen. Obama won a decisive majority of white people's votes, so if you think your company really isn't "ready for that," it may be that your perception is out of date."

Whether the universal acceptance of President-Elect Obama carries over to everyday blacks/African Americans in this country is not yet proven.  His background (racial, education, geographic residence, family structure) is a lot more exotic than most of us.  There is a long history in this country of only "accepting" minorities with attributes that some whites perceive as less ethnic. The "You're not like the rest of them." sentiment became a cliche for a reason. I am not defending or validating this phenomenon -- just reporting.

To declare the reader's perception "out of date" is premature at best and harmful at worst.  Those of us in certain industries are very well aware of what is considered acceptable concerning afro-textured hairstyles in our workplace.  

Disclosure:  I work in government relations/lobbying and wear a wig.  My hair can't withstand the chemicals.  A prominent black lawmaker who sat on a judicial review panel once confided in me concerning a black, female judicial candidate that her hairstyle would hold her back (she wears short twists).  That incident was this year. In a casual conversation, a white colleague confessed aversion to locks as she considered them "unclean."  Another white colleague effusively praised a new wig (straight, dark bob) I wore as being "so professional."  

In another arena, how many television journalists [seemingly now an accepted path to public office] grace the screen with kinky, natural hair --no mid-texture curls like Robin Roberts, but full blown kink?  And no counting Charalyne Hunter-Gault who moved to South Africa years ago.

I want to acknowledge that it's true Change is happening.  But, not so fast for concerns like those of your reader to be "out-of-date." How I and my poor hair wish it were so.  The prudent course is to monitor your geographic region, industry sector, and company culture.  There is light at the end of the tunnel, though.  Look up Xerox's 2 Executive.