To Straighten Or Not To Straighten: The Difficult Decision That Black Women Face When It Comes To Their Hair
Published on October 31, 2022
Janice Gassam Asare, Ph.D.
I help workplaces become anti-racist | DEI Consultant | TEDx Speaker | LinkedIn Top Voice | Jollof rice enthusiast
A new study from the National Institute of Environmental Health Science has found a linkage between chemical hair straightening products and uterine cancer. The study examined data from over 30,000 women between the ages of 35-74 and followed them over the course of 11 years. Uterine cancer rates have been increasing within the United States, with Black women being most at risk. Many Black women may have resorted to chemical hair straighteners in order to adhere to the Eurocentric beauty standards that are pervasive within the workplace, society, and Hollywood. Despite how common Afro-textured hair discrimination is, there is still a lack of understanding regarding how this issue impacts Black women.
In many workplaces, Black people have experienced hair bias and discrimination from wearing their hair in the ways that it naturally grows out of their head. In order to be hired and promoted within a workplace, many Black women have made the decision to chemically straighten their hair. A 2020 research study examining natural hair in the job recruitment process found that Black women who made the decision to wear their hair in natural hairstyles were “perceived to be less professional, less competent and less likely to be recommended for a job interview” compared to Black women with straightened hair or white women with curly or straight hair. DEI Consultant and clinical psychologist Donna Dockery, Ph.D. shared that she would wear specific styles when interviewing for jobs. “I use to interview and start a job with my hair in a style that I thought would be the most acceptable [such as] straightened or slicked back in a bun. I’ve always worked in primarily white spaces and felt as if I needed to play the part, to make sure my appearance wasn’t a distraction. In past jobs I have literally heard a supervisor talk about another Black employee not looking or dressing like she belongs in the office mostly because of how she styled her hair.”
Hair bias also shows up when it comes time for advancement and promotion. The CEO of the Equity Equation, Sacha Thompson, reflected on how natural hairstyles prevented her from ascending in company she previously worked at. “It didn't take long for me to notice that our company CEO would barely look in my direction when I had a natural style, like a wash-and-go...but when my hair was in braids or straightened, he'd come by and chat it up, asking about my weekend and brainstorming ideas. At the time, my direct chain of command to him was all Black women, so I knew it wasn't because of my race...I asked one of our VPs if she also noticed the behavior. Her response was one that I didn't expect. She said that if I wanted to move up in the organization, I needed to be in good graces with the CEO, which may require sacrificing my desire for natural hair.”
Representation is vital; Black leaders rocking natural hairstyles will influence the next generation and sends the message that, contrary to popular belief, Black hair is professional hair. Janelle Benjamin, founder of diversity and inclusion consultancy All Things Equitable Inc., shared that the absence of leaders with natural hair left her feeling nervous about wearing her hair in its natural state. “I internalized the message that to be seen as a leader, my hair had to be straight, relaxed, pulled back, and not ‘unruly’ or ‘wild’ or the way it grows out of my head. Only now, that I work for myself, have I begun to grow locks.”
The pandemic provided a much-needed opportunity for many Black women to reimagine their relationship with their hair. Niani Tolbert, founder and CEO of Hire Black Now, shared her experience. “During the pandemic, I was able to slow down and reconnect with my hair. It felt freeing to not feel any pressure to manipulate my hair for work...through this journey, I discovered that the many years of ponytails left permanent scarring. I now have CCCA alopecia, and my regimen includes adding topical clobetasol and minoxidil twice daily and monthly steroid injections by my dermatologist. If I don't keep this regimen up, I face permanent hair loss.” Given the deleterious impacts of chemical straighteners, it’s important that society continues to push back against white standards of professionalism and beauty, which continue to harm non-white women. Although there are currently some state-wide protections around the United States against race-based hair discrimination, it continues in pervasive and insidious ways.
To quote TikTok influencer the Conscious Lee, “education is elevation.” It's imperative that we continue to disseminate information about the harmful effects of chemical hair straightening agents. It is also vital that workplace leadership and human resource professionals are trained to recognize and mitigate hair discrimination. Provide employees with programming to educate them about hair bias. Oprah Winfrey’s new docuseries, “The Hair Tales,” offers unique insights about the experiences of Black women and analyzes “beauty and identity through the distinctive lens of Black hair.” Providing employees with the ability and access to watch programs such as this is a great way to increase their knowledge, awareness and understanding. Lastly, ensuring that workplace practices are as objective as possible can mitigate bias and discrimination.
This article was originally published in Forbes.
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