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If every Black person decided to wear a natural hairstyle tomorrow...what's the worst that could happen?

lanoire

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No clean low cuts, no silk presses, no relaxers, no straight wigs/weaves, etc. Just either afro hairstyles, braids, twists, or locs.

Obviously, texture discrimination exists, but I really think black people's mentality regarding what whites' supposedly think is one of the main things that keeps the cycle repeating. I have worked in STEM and gone to international medical conferences, presenting research with huge ass afros. Been published. No one cares. No opportunities have been stopped. It's whatever.

Really and truly, what could society do? It's not like all black people would be fired. It's not like these certain hairstyles ACTUALLY protect us from discrimination. They will discriminate against black people either way. Really, I think hair discrimination has evolved into something that is now mainly driven by the standards in the Black community.
 

bellabissina

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Exactly, like what would happen? Most likely nothing, so at times like these I side eye when people say they use straight hair for "professional" purposes. We're complaining about it but simultaneously doing nothing revolutionary to change it.
 

herbalmintea

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Obviously, texture discrimination exists, but I really think black people's mentality regarding what whites' supposedly think is one of the main things that keeps the cycle repeating. I have worked in STEM and gone to international medical conferences, presenting research with huge ass afros. Been published. No one cares. No opportunities have been stopped. It's whatever.
Yeah it’s a myth that black women have to relax our hair or wear fake hair in order to get a job. That’s not the case anymore so black women who are still doing these things are doing it for other reasons.
 

Butters2001

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Op, I get what you mean but you cannot compare the science community with other industries. I’m a Pre-Law student majoring in environmental studies. I’ve walked in both of these lanes, both very different.
For one, the science community, especially in regard to environmental sectors are much more liberal. Hair is not a big deal. I’ve been to conferences with speakers like Ayana Elizabeth Johnson who sports a Afro. Her white counterparts are no different, their attire is less stuffy. However, when I go to my internship at a prosecutor’s office I have been asked to tie my locs up into a bun.

Also discrimination is real, when so was 18 I was harassed by my manager for wearing my hair in a puff.
 

Dior Addict

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Microagressions from white people still exist, we can’t pretend like there aren’t, for example, young black boys having their locs cut in class or young black girls being discriminated from cheerleading squads bc of hair texture.

I have long curly hair that looks in no way "un-presentable" and I had a my white vice principle tell me my hair was "crazy". I had co workers in the past ask to touch my hair as if I was an animal at the Zoo.

I can’t say that there will be ridiculous mass layoffs across America but we can’t ignore the fact that bills are still being passed (California Crown Act) as early as 2019 that prevent job discrimination because of hair type. This isn’t something that’s in the past.
 

SouthernNotCountry

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I personally don't think anything would happen. We have natural hair in professional settings all the time and it's never been a problem. The only negative comments anyone in my household have ever gotten about our hair is from another black person. Yt really don't care as much as we do, they hate for other reasons.
 

lanoire

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Microagressions from white people still exist, we can’t pretend like there aren’t, for example, young black boys having their locs cut in class or young black girls being discriminated from cheerleading squads bc of hair texture.

I have long curly hair that looks in no way "un-presentable" and I had a my white vice principle tell me my hair was "crazy". I had co workers in the past ask to touch my hair as if I was an animal at the Zoo.

I can’t say that there will be ridiculous mass layoffs across America but we can’t ignore the fact that bills are still being passed (California Crown Act) as early as 2019 that prevent job discrimination because of hair type. This isn’t something that’s in the past.
Microaggressions from white people will always exist because we are black. There's no changing that. White people make comments on the wigs & weaves too. White people ask to touch your hair no matter what.

I didn't say that hair discrimination doesn't exist, but this whole "I have to wear straight looking or non-natural hair to get a job" is overblown and we need to be honest. I would say that the natural hair movement has been way more successful for black men & boys. I see black boys everywhere wearing locs nowadays. I don't think it's good to use super isolated incidents, a lot of which have occurred in religious private schools as an example of what we can and can't do.
 

Butters2001

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I personally don't think anything would happen. We have natural hair in professional settings all the time and it's never been a problem. The only negative comments anyone in my household have ever gotten about our hair is from another black person. Yt really don't care as much as we do, they hate for other reasons.
As a person with locs I just can’t get behind this kind of obliviousness when the U.S. Court of appeals ruled that denying potential black employees with locs does not legally constitute discrimination.
 

lanoire

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Op, I get what you mean but you cannot compare the science community with other industries. I’m a Pre-Law student majoring in environmental studies. I’ve walked in both of these lanes, both very different.
For one, the science community, especially in regard to environmental sectors are much more liberal. Hair is not a big deal. I’ve been to conferences with speakers like Ayana Elizabeth Johnson who sports a Afro. Her white counterparts are no different, their attire is less stuffy. However, when I go to my internship at a prosecutor’s office I have been asked to tie my locs up into a bun.

Also discrimination is real, when so was 18 I was harassed by my manager for wearing my hair in a puff.
There are definitely certain STEM spaces that are more liberal in attire than not, but many are still more on the conservative side.
 

Butters2001

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If you don’t like people who rock wigs just say that. However making claims that no one really cares when the opposite has been documented through public court documents is very irresponsible.
 

lanoire

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If you don’t like people who rock wigs just say that. However making claims that no one really cares when the opposite has been documented through public court documents is very irresponsible.
Having darker skin has been shown time and time again to mean more disadvantages in the workplace, in academics, in the justice system, etc. It also isn't necessarily protected by law and even if it were hiring processes would still allow it to occur. This doesn't mean we push bleaching as a solution.
 

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I think a lot of BW use the hair discrimination as a means to not wear their hair cause the truth is they don’t like it. They’d drag you for saying this though. I wear my Afro everyday to work and get compliments from white people. BP are the ones, in my experience, who discriminate natural hair/hate on it.

Yes, discrimination and racism from whites exist, but let’s not pretend that a lot of BW don’t hate their hair. Imagine wearing weave in hot summer because you want to protect your hair. No one has ever seen what it looks like.

Some I know wear wig to bed at night because they’re protecting their hair.

I like wearing natural hairstyles because it makes me stand out and afros are very feminine IMO but people are gonna groan and drag me lol
 

suesnell

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I think a lot of BW use the hair discrimination as a means to not wear their hair cause the truth is they don’t like it. They’d drag you for saying this though. I wear my Afro everyday to work and get compliments from white people. BP are the ones, in my experience, who discriminate natural hair/hate on it.

Yes, discrimination and racism from whites exist, but let’s not pretend that a lot of BW don’t hate their hair. Imagine wearing weave in hot summer because you want to protect your hair. No one has ever seen what it looks like.

I like wearing natural hairstyles because it makes me stand out and afros are very feminine IMO but people are gonna groan and drag me lol
A lot of BM hate their hair too, but we rarely talk about that.
 

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It would affect some more than others. I see it depending on the field they work in and state the black person lives in. Look at the military, airlines, Disney world/land, even Great American amusement parks have no braid, locs natural hair policies.
 

AfroSoul

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A dream world with black women finding their real beauty again ,trust white women Jealousy would surge at a level never seen before but this time with no more power to make us hide our hair again .
 

Urbest

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Exactly, like what would happen? Most likely nothing, so at times like these I side eye when people say they use straight hair for "professional" purposes. We're complaining about it but simultaneously doing nothing revolutionary to change it.
I never was teased for my hair texture and worn it multiple times in professional work environments. I always get compliments on my natural hair from different races too. In fact, it’s kinda my signature that people notice me for my hair - I rock a curly fro’. I know of other black women in executive positions rocking their natural hair too. Sometimes I think some people have a complex about their hair and project it on others.
 

Jaming4ever2

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I dont think much would happen. I see people have their natural hair out everyday.
 

Butters2001

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Having darker skin has been shown time and time again to mean more disadvantages in the workplace, in academics, in the justice system, etc. It also isn't necessarily protected by law and even if it were hiring processes would still allow it to occur. This doesn't mean we push bleaching as a solution.
Of course not, but that also does not mean we pretend that the discrimination does not exist, which the comments in this thread are attempting to do. Using the world myth, is mad condescending.
Lastly, people should do what they want to do with their hair, it’s not anyone’s business but their own. You are not about to compare skin bleach to somebody wearing a wig.
 

Stormy_Weather

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There are jobs that require people to dress a certain way. Just because in your career you’ve been able to wear your hair however you want doesn’t mean that every Black person in specific fields are afforded that same luxury. Sure, you can still get jobs with natural hair, probably even good jobs, but if that’s not the career that you want why sacrifice your dream over a hairstyle? Not every Black person thinks of their hair as a political statement—some have no problem cutting it short or straightening it in order to otherwise live the lives that they want
 

Butters2001

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I never was teased for my hair texture and worn it multiple times in professional work environments. I always get compliments on my natural hair from different races too. In fact, it’s kinda my signature that people notice me for my hair - I rock a curly fro’. I know of other black women in executive positions rocking their natural hair too. Sometimes I think some people have a complex about their hair and project it on others.
Yup...because notably curly hair has been historically discriminated against.
1620135908716.gif
 

lanoire

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I did read the first sentence. But you're so triggered you didn't notice I quoted another font. Worry about what's on your own head.
Who is triggered? It sounds like it's you. I obviously saw you quoted another font, but you have been saying that "we" are policing hair and "we" are not talking about BM enough.
 

analuna

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I think black women in client facing jobs like insurance, sales, finance, law, and hospitality would suffer for a bit.
Science does not compare.
 

lanoire

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Of course not, but that also does not mean we pretend that the discrimination does not exist, which the comments in this thread are attempting to do. Using the world myth, is mad condescending.
Lastly, people should do what they want to do with their hair, it’s not anyone’s business but their own. You are not about to compare skin bleach to somebody wearing a wig.
The only reason why we can't compare the two is because one is very stigmatized and the other isn't by the black community. Even though arguably one produces greater discrimination than the other.
 

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From a economical standpoint, a lot of Asians would lose a lot of their wealth. East Indians would lose a lot of bankable income towards their economy, because so much of their hair is used in making human-hair weaves and wigs. Many relaxer companies would go under and the majority of them are white-owned. There are only a few black-owned relaxer companies that are still around. There are too many other races and ethnicities that rely on the black dollar. You see, that's why black women and men are always brainwashed by white/jewish society to hate everything about ourselves, even our hair and they use racism to keep us in place.
 

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I work in STEAM education, specifically microbiology. Depending on the lab work I’m doing, my hair is tied back. But for the most part when I’m in my classroom lab, I wear my hair however I like. And when I’m not teaching it’s out most of the time. But the minute I encounter any type of microaggression from anyone regarding my hair, I address it immediately. It mostly comes from my students, and I try to educate them gently, but firmly. I don’t tolerate anyone trying to denigrate my hair, its texture, or its style. My little guys (Year 2) will often let me know how they feel about my new haircuts, but they know to do it respectfully. For the most part my hair is often complimented in work settings, which can be patronising at times. And I don’t tolerate the “May I pet you?“ bµllsh!t.

I understand that not everyone has the privilege I have to directly address others in their work community without direct fallout. And I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that we are still fighting discrimination based on our hair in this day and age. But I believe if every black person on the face of the Earth wore their natural hair for one day, the world would not stop turning.
 

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I personally don't think anything would happen. We have natural hair in professional settings all the time and it's never been a problem. The only negative comments anyone in my household have ever gotten about our hair is from another black person. Yt really don't care as much as we do, they hate for other reasons.
Yeah I never had a white person tell me to my face that my hair is nappy or when am I getting it done? Those statements always come from black people and usually in your own family. So it starts at home.
 

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I have my natural hair out everyday & I work in the corporate world. If I wanna look more "professional," I just put it in a slick low bun. I get a lot of compliments from all races about my hair but I'm not gonna lie & say that I haven't experienced microagressions as well. I am not against wigs & don't blame people for wearing wigs, but for me personally I'm not gonna hide my hair to appease other races.
 

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As a person with locs I just can’t get behind this kind of obliviousness when the U.S. Court of appeals ruled that denying potential black employees with locs does not legally constitute discrimination.


My other half is in the legal profession with locs....so as I stated previously, that's not an issue in my household. The only comments ever received about his hair are from older black people. It's unfortunate that has not been the same experience for others.
 

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Tbh I haven’t really experienced hair discrimination in the workplace, I wear my natural hair/natural hairstyles to work all the time (I’m a nurse) and nobody’s said anything negative so far. If anything I get compliments. And I live in a part of Canada that doesn’t have many black people so you would expect hair discrimination to be widespread but I haven’t been bothered.

That being said I won’t invalidate anybody’s experiences bc every area/country is different and people work in different industries. Plus I have a 3c/4a hair texture so my hair may be perceived differently from a 4c, for example
 

lanoire

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There are jobs that require people to dress a certain way. Just because in your career you’ve been able to wear your hair however you want doesn’t mean that every Black person in specific fields are afforded that same luxury. Sure, you can still get jobs with natural hair, probably even good jobs, but if that’s not the career that you want why sacrifice your dream over a hairstyle? Not every Black person thinks of their hair as a political statement—some have no problem cutting it short or straightening it in order to otherwise live the lives that they want
Your hair is inherently political because you're black.
Showing off your natural texture / wearing an "Afrocentric" style or hiding your natural texture are actually both political statements. Conformity is just as much of a political statement as defiance.
 

Brandbre

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Yeah it’s a myth that black women have to relax our hair or wear fake hair in order to get a job. That’s not the case anymore so black women who are still doing these things are doing it for other reasons.
I've been told that my natural hair was unprofessional and for the weekend only. It was a twist out on stretched natural hair (all one color and length). I had to switch to buns. Now I just wear kinky straight wigs but I do want to go back to wearing my natural hair to work again.
 

Butters2001

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The only reason why we can't compare the two is because one is very stigmatized and the other isn't by the black community. Even though arguably one produces greater discrimination than the other.
Nope, one causes extreme harm to your overall health. Plopping a wig up top your head is not.
The only thing that can be comparable is relaxers, but most women no longer do that. Most straighten their hair by heat, this is not damaging their overall health. Skin bleaching however is.
So again, we are not about to compare the two.
 

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