American Apparel does not want to hire blacks with straight hair

[DayStar]

 

[TCatt86]

*sigh* Another example of the 'exoti-fication' of women of color. I don't even know what to say beyond that. I am so irritated and frustrated by the story. Someone mentioned that stores can hire people that reflect their image, and it is true that they do, but if a girl applies their with relaxed hair, clearly she must consider herself part of that culture. But apparently she will now be excluded because her hair is straight- bull****.

Just like Oprah getting barred from Hermes. Or me getting cut eye when I go into Ferragamo with natural hair. Assumptions, which we all know make -asses out of you and me-. Somebody needs to sue his ***.

Wait what? How is natural hair exotic? When I think of exotic I think of something that is an outlier to what a group of people naturally have.

But AA apparel is one some other stuff with these generalizations, but I'm sure I couldn't get a job at Hooters with my fro nor could I be a Dallas Cowboy cheeleader.

 

[natura87]

So, obviously you didn't get the jist of what I was trying to say. Or maybe you didn't read all of the comments and what I bolded. First off, I'm natural and I know that the way hair comes out of your head isn't a fad. What I'm saying is, this recent preference for naturals over straight haired females ( in the case of american apparel and from MY personal experiences) is a fad IMO

Oh snaps!!!!!

 

[TCatt86]

^^Sadly it is a fad to alot of women and many women will probably go back to relaxed in 5 years IF the look is gone from the media. Hopefully, that won't happen. But it may be a fad just like afros were fads. It's just a temporary hairstyle to some people, not a lifetime thing.

Natural hair is not a fad...It's still undesirable to most. I was just called a nappy headed b!tch three days ago. If it was a fad, homegirl wouldn't have fixed her fingers to even type that.

 

[PeanutButterandHoney]

Wait what? How is natural hair exotic? When I think of exotic I think of something that is an outlier to what a group of people naturally have.

But AA apparel is one some other stuff with these generalizations, but I'm sure I couldn't get a job at Hooters with my fro nor could I be a Dallas Cowboy cheeleader.

Exactly, so I am trying to understand why it is upsetting folks....

There are certain "looks" that are preferred over other and this appears to be HIGHLY subjective to the place of employment and what they are looking for.

 

[SignatureBeauty]

WHAT!!! TCATT86! No this person didn't.

 

[SelahOco]

Oh, is that how they get around it? Calling the sales people models and interviews as "castings?" People are so cleaver....

I'm gonna finger wave my hair and get some waterfalls in the back then apply for a job there. If they don't hire me, I'm going to sue them for discrimination.

 

[PeanutButterandHoney]

Natural hair is not a fad...It's still undesirable to most. I was just called a nappy headed b!tch three days ago. If it was a fad, homegirl wouldn't have fixed her fingers to even type that.

I been called nappy head a few times...but it IS a fad...I mean in the past year everybody and they mama have been trying to "go natural" because of media coverage.

In my area, amongst more educated blacks, being natural is a symbol of heightened cultural awareness and uniqueness...

 

[~Sparklingflame~]

Natural hair is not a fad...It's still undesirable to most. I was just called a nappy headed b!tch three days ago. If it was a fad, homegirl wouldn't have fixed her fingers to even type that.

That is soooo not right!

 

[Southernbella.]

...............

 

[nique3]

I'm not offended, but that's probably because I'm natural...so......

 

[JaszyFaye]

Wait what? How is natural hair exotic? When I think of exotic I think of something that is an outlier to what a group of people naturally have.

But AA apparel is one some other stuff with these generalizations, but I'm sure I couldn't get a job at Hooters with my fro nor could I be a Dallas Cowboy cheeleader.

yeah, I don't think fros are cowboy hat approved

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

Wait what? How is natural hair exotic? When I think of exotic I think of something that is an outlier to what a group of people naturally have.

But AA apparel is one some other stuff with these generalizations, but I'm sure I couldn't get a job at Hooters with my fro nor could I be a Dallas Cowboy cheeleader.

Ok I'm probably gonna word this wrong, but I know we talked about the exoticism of other races in class as being a form of racism. So I think anything that the dominant race does not have (our kinky hair, big lips, asians' eyes) is considered exotic...and they make a big deal out of it like OH MY they're so beautiful and exotic.....or something.....idk this was last fall lol

 

[SelahOco]

Oh snaps!!!!!

Old man stops playing, slams the piano and exclaims, "Oh, time to go."

 

[TCatt86]

Ok I'm probably gonna word this wrong, but I know we talked about the exoticism of other races in class as being a form of racism. So I think anything that the dominant race does not have (our kinky hair, big lips, asians' eyes) is considered exotic...and they make a big deal out of it like OH MY they're so beautiful and exotic.....or something.....idk this was last fall lol

Ahhh I gotcha...

 

[TCatt86]

yeah, I don't think fros are cowboy hat approved

Right. I wonder if they hire these workers as models or sales associates? With models they can be more discriminatory in regards to physical appearance, I'm sure AA doesn't hire plus size people either.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

off topic but WHOLLY AIRBRUSHING!!!

Why did they make Prince look so crazy?

Old man stops playing, slams the piano and exclaims, "Oh, time to go."

 

[MsLizziA]

Yea i went in that store n walkd the fluck out.. I saw how some of the people there were dressed n i was like wtf yall puttin on yall bodies??

Yea.... no thank you

 

[MsLizziA]

off topic but WHOLLY AIRBRUSHING!!!

Why did they make Prince look so crazy?

That man looks flippn magical..

 

[TCatt86]

I been called nappy head a few times...but it IS a fad...I mean in the past year everybody and they mama have been trying to "go natural" because of media coverage.

In my area, amongst more educated blacks, being natural is a symbol of heightened cultural awareness and uniqueness...

I think it depends on the area you are in. I live in the south where people don't go natural unless they have "that good hair" I recently twisted my hair and had an older coworker tell me "You just don't know what to do with that nappy mess" Apparently she doesn't need relaxers, she just doesn't like curly hair So in the south I think curly hair is a fad, I don't necessarily think kinky hair is though.

 

[aquajoyice]

Sounds like it's about time for the pants to be sued of off this company.

 

[Nova]

http://www.afrobella.com/2010/06/11/american-apparel-has-policies-about-black-hair/

The litany of complaints about American Apparel’s advertising and hiring policies are so long, we could write a book about them. The company is known for chic, trendy, affordable locally made clothes yes…but they’re also known for being sexist, judgmental, and discriminatory based on the aesthetic attractions of its owner, Dov Charney (who – let’s be honest. By his own standards of appearance, would he be welcome to work in his own store?)

If you want to work at American Apparel you’ve got to meet the criteria. You’ve got to have the right look. You’ve got to have a strong fashion sense. And if you’re black, you need to have the right style of hair. Several ex-employees recently wrote into Gawker about their experiences, and one former manager said she was told this about what types of black women to hire during the American Apparel’s open casting calls:
“Another former AA manager says that she received the following instructions as to what kind of black girls she should try to hire during the company’s open calls:
“none of the trashy kind that come in, we don’t want that. we’re not trying to sell our clothes to them. try to find some of these classy black girls, with nice hair, you know?”

i will remember that forever, especially the “nice hair” part. he was instructing another manager and i on who to look for during an upcoming open call, and i sat there dumbfounded, listening to him speak while the other manager made “uh huh, got it” sounds on her end of the phone. the other manager on the call with me later became a district manager, and at one point instructed me to tell two of my employees (both of whom happened to be black females) to stop straightening their hair. i refused to do this, but wondered if the mentality behind her request was related to what dov had said.”
Wait, what?
A company discriminating in favor of black natural hair? Is “nice hair” the new “good hair”?? What does that even MEAN?
I’m not sure what to make of this news from American Apparel, so I’m just gonna keep doing what I do – which means not shopping at American Apparel. Which I couldn’t do anyway, because they don’t do plus size clothes, either. Ugh!
What are your thoughts on this latest American Apparel scandal?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


My suggestion: BOYCOTT! BOYCOTT! BOYCOTT!

Hitting companies in the pockets (sometimes) has a way of forcing them to change their discriminatory practices.

 

[JJamiah]

I think it depends on the area you are in. I live in the south where people don't go natural unless they have "that good hair" I recently twisted my hair and had an older coworker tell me "You just don't know what to do with that nappy mess" Apparently she doesn't need relaxers, she just doesn't like curly hair So in the south I think curly hair is a fad, I don't necessarily think kinky hair is though.

The Dog Poo that comes out of peoples mouths that is just RUDE.

I would have had to ask her was she bought up or dug up. Learn Manners!

Your Avatar shows a beautiful lady with beautiful hair don't let anyone make you feel any different!

 

[JaszyFaye]

I been called nappy head a few times...but it IS a fad...I mean in the past year everybody and they mama have been trying to "go natural" because of media coverage.

In my area, amongst more educated blacks, being natural is a symbol of heightened cultural awareness and uniqueness...

Finally someone who get's what I'm trying to say.I too have been called a nappy headed ***** when I was 12 years old. Last year October 26, 2009 (I had to do some research)I had a friend who said this: "So here I am on the opposing side saying Go Perms Go!Going natural to me feels like a trending topic on twitter.. (exact words copy and pasted from facebook) Fast foward to today and she just bc'd. This is someone who was sooo aganist going natural talking about she isnt' going to be walking around with "juices and berries in (her) head". I asked her why did she decided to go natural when just a few months before she was so aganist it. Her response wasn't because the relaxers were causing damage to her hair or xyz reasons why people go natural. Her response was "just because"

 

[SignatureBeauty]

So does this make Natural Haired People Proud? Or Does it Make Relaxed-Straight Haired People Mad?

Or Both?

 

[~Sparklingflame~]

So does this make Natural Haired People Proud? Or Does it Make Relaxed-Straight Haired People Mad?

Or Both?

You forgot People With Hair On Their Heads In Whatever State Who Are Indifferent.

 

[JaszyFaye]

Right. I wonder if they hire these workers as models or sales associates? With models they can be more discriminatory in regards to physical appearance, I'm sure AA doesn't hire plus size people either.

probably both like Abercrombie and Fitch

 

[Mizz Diamonds]

I heard about this earlier and I still don't know what to make of it.

 

[SignatureBeauty]

You forgot People With Hair On Their Heads In Whatever State Who Are Indifferent.

Oh!! My Bad

 

[JaszyFaye]

So does this make Natural Haired People Proud? Or Does it Make Relaxed-Straight Haired People Mad?

Or Both?

Both? As a natural haired person, I should feel proud because someone is looking out for us, for the time being? But also mad because they're expoliting my kinky, coily, curly naps? Straight haired people should be mad because they are being discriminated aganist?erplexed Idk? Can I phone a friend?

You forgot People With Hair On Their Heads In Whatever State Who Are Indifferent.

ITA, doesn't really make me no nevermind.