‘I Am Not My Hair’:The Impact of Hair Discrimination in the Workplace
Tsahai Payne-Clark
Principles of Management
Dr. Eve Magoulas
April 30th, 2018
Introduction
The impact of imagery and the media on African Americans has always been
profound. It is important to examine the impact that racial oppression has had on the way
African Americans perceive themselves historically, particularly African American
women. With the rise in sources of media over the past decade, and the countless number
of images digested regularly, African American women are subjected to constant scrutiny
for either not physically “measuring-up” to mainstream/white standards of beauty, or
rejected completely for simply not conforming to society and its standards. In cases where white women appropriate features that are typically attributed to people of color, white women tend to gain more attention and adoration having those same features that African American women are
either ridiculed for or are simply less celebrated for than when their white counterparts
possess or acquire those same traits. The way in which African American women view themselves is often reflected in the way they present themselves, which is based on several factors, including their sense of self worth, their definition of beauty, and what beliefs that definition is based on. The perception many African American women have of themselves might also be influenced by their work environment. Jobs that violate grooming policies violate an individual's freedom of choice and originality. This affects the self appreciation of women of color who have kinky, tight curl patterns or coarse frizzy hair that society encourages to be processed, sewed- in, and/or glued to conform to a European standard.
In an Article written by Dawn Bennett-Alexander & Linda Harrison regarding the stereotypes associated with grooming policies, they explained that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,17 the nation’s foremost civil rights law, prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, or religion and has failed African American women. These discriminatory policies prohibiting such hairstyles are generally based on seemingly neutral policies but are actually reflections of race and gender stereotyping, negatively impacting black women and their appreciation of their own culture.
Researchers Evans and McConnell sample Racial minorities such as Asian, African American, and White women to test the relationship of social comparisons to the way minorities respond to mainstream beauty standards. Providing each group of women with three full length, color photographs of attractive female models with physical traits such as thin frame, blonde, blue-eyed, and fair skin, each group was given a Body Esteem Scale to reflect their perspectives of physical attractiveness related to models as well as themselves. Using compared variables such as overall attractiveness, body attractiveness, body self-esteem, and the need to conform, participants took a timed assessment using 18 body parts to rate their concept of physical attractiveness on a scale of one (strong negative feelings) to five (strong positive feelings). Researchers found ratings of self-esteem lower when exposing female minorities to physically attractive and unattractive models, suggesting that people often compare themselves to others when they are uncertain about their own opinions or qualities.
Researchers Byrd and Tharps note that hair was very important in African culture and in many tribes, was a way to show one’s status, identity, religion, and ancestry. The importance of hair in identifying status became even more apparent during slavery in the United States as black women with a kinky, tight hair textures were subjected to work in the fields while those with more Eurocentric textures were house slaves (Robinson, 2011; Lester, 2000). Carrying these stereotypes in the workplace, researchers have found that African American women use strategies for self-protection, such as identifying with in-group members rather than mainstream beauty standards. Wade and Bielitz use historical data such as the impact internalized racism has on causing African Americans to resent their African features and favor mainstream beauty standards.
Wade and Cooper (1997) explain that for women, fairer skin is considered an
“asset”, associating a closeness to white skin tone, and softer hair texture with higher intelligence, better hygienic tendencies, level of achievement, overall attractiveness, and higher social status. Light complexioned women were often used as “house slaves”, which gave them a sense of privileged because they had European ancestry. Darker complexioned, and coarse kinky hair patterns were associated with “field slaves”, as their color and physique were associated with characteristics such as perceived strength, and dominance ( Buss &Schmitt, 1993; Wade 2000, 2003),
Research was also conducted to explain the issues African American women have with their hair (Summer, 2006). Hair textures has historically been a significant issue for people of color in general, African Americans in particular. Influential cultural leaders such as Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X promoted concepts such as African American consciousness, nationalism, and empowerment, so many African Americans to wear hairstyles that celebrated their hair textures in the 1960s and 1970. As opposed to emulating styles worn by White people as a symbol of cultural pride. Prior studies have shown that black women often carry feelings of guilt, shame, anger, and resentment about the color of their skin as well as the texture of their hair due to mainstream stigmas. Although being “too ethnic” is considered socially unacceptable, society has made African features a counter-narrative by accentuating women who purchase traits found predominantly in African Americans such as tan skin, full bodies, and fuller lips. Patton describes the lack of appreciation African Americans have for their culture due to the stigmatization of mainstream beauty standards as self-hatred and renders on self-esteem. Throughout history, hair has caused a revolution in the African American community by expressing feelings protest and pride against mainstream stereotypes. Challenging assimilation, the Black Power movement used natural hair as a campaign to help empower African American women and girls to love themselves contrary to biases in the media. In a study conducted by researchers at Northwestern University, Harvard, and the Institute for Social Research in Norway,they revisited every available field experiment involving hiring discrimination from 1989 through 2015. The researchers found that anti-black racism in hiring is unchanged since at least 1989, while anti-Latino racism may have decreased modestly (Lopez,2018)
The researchers looked at two kinds of experiments, résumé and in-person audits. In the first experiment, researchers sent out résumés with similar levels of education, experience with a stereotypically black or Latino name and the others have a stereotypically white name. In the second, applicants go in-person to apply for a job, each sharing similar qualifications, but some are white while others are black or brown. In total, the researchers produced 24 studies with 30 estimates of discrimination for black and Latino Americans, collectively representing more than 54,000 applications submitted for more than 25,000 positions.
The researchers concluded that on average, “white applicants receive 36% more callbacks than equally qualified African Americans” while “white applicants receive on average 24% more callbacks than Latinos.” (Lopez,2018).
For people of color, embracing natural hair can lead to some losing their jobs or facing ridicule in public. In March 2014, the U.S. Army issued a new policy that banned traditional black hairstyles, including cornrows, twists and dreadlocks. The regulations described these styles “unkempt” and “matted.” After months of backlash and a letter from the Congressional Black Caucus, former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel reviewed and subsequently “rolled back” the policy (Martin, 2017).
Citations
Bennett-Alexander, D. D., & Harrison, L. F. (2015). MY HAIR IS NOT LIKE YOURS: WORKPLACE HAIR GROOMING POLICIES FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN AS RACIAL STEREOTYPING IN VIOLATION OF TITLE VII.
Rosette, A. S., & Dumas, T. L. (2007). Figure 2f from: Irimia R, Gottschling M (2016) Taxonomic revision of Rochefortia Sw. (Ehretiaceae, Boraginales). Biodiversity Data Journal 4: E7720. THE HAIR DILEMMA: CONFORM TO MAINSTREAM EXPECTATIONS OR EMPHASIZE RACIAL IDENTITY.
King, V., & Niabaly, D. (2013). Figure 2f from: Irimia R, Gottschling M (2016) Taxonomic revision of Rochefortia Sw. (Ehretiaceae, Boraginales). Biodiversity Data Journal 4: E7720. Politics of Black Women's' Hair, 13(4).
Evans, P. C., & McConnell, A. R. (2003, Summer). Do Racial Minorities Respond in the
Same Way to Mainstream Beauty Standards? Social Comparison Processes in Asian,
African American , and White Women. Retrieved April 30, 2018
Patterson, T. O. (2006, Summer). Hey Girl, Am I More than My Hair?: African American
women and Their Struggles with Beauty, Body Image, and Hair. Retrieved April 30, 2018
Wade, J. T., & Bielitz, S. (2005, August). The Differential Effect of Skin Color on
Attractiveness, Personality Evaluations, and Perceived Life Success of African
Americans. Retrieved April 30, 2018
Lopez, G. (2017, September 18). Study: Anti-black hiring discrimination is as prevalent today as it was in 1989.
Martin, A. (2017, August 23). Black Hair Discrimination Can Harm Black Women and Men.
Sini, R. (2016, May 15). 'Wear a weave at work – your afro hair is unprofessional'.