Natural Hair In The Workplace....this Video Has Me Upset

[Coilystep]

Thoughts? Her advice is bogus in my opinion. She shouldn't have to straighten it if she doesn't want to. I can see possibly pulling it into a bun. However telling her she has to change the texture of her hair is unacceptable. #wnct #angelagreen #naturalhair

 

[HaveSomeWine]

I would have told them to go to hell. I'll be damned if I alter my hair texture for someone else's approval. Being fat and ugly can also be considered a distraction but I'm sure they aren't handing out Weight Watchers brochures to the tubbies or plastic surgery coupons to the ugs.

 

[Dayjoy]

I agree it's BS, but even the white newscasters all wear the same three hairstyles. I don't think it's about black hair, but rather about women on TV. I totally disagree about the straightening though. All it takes is one time for your hair to be ruined.

 

[Coilystep]

I agree it's BS, but even the white newscasters all wear the same three hairstyles. I don't think it's about black hair, but rather about women on TV. I totally disagree about the straightening though. All it takes is one time for your hair to be ruined.

That's what bothered me straightening could have consequences to curly hair.

 

[Blessed&higlyflavoured]

I get what she's saying. Don't let hair mess up your money. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's not that serious. But it's not that urgent

 

[Guinan]

Both of their hairs are beautiful. I don't think that there is a huge issue for the station making a suggestion on how they want to be represented; however I do think that the station is unrealistic. If you are employing minorities then they have to accept and appreciate the diversity in personal style. The station can make a suggestion but it should be up to the individual's personal choice in matters of racial identity/expression i.e. hair choices.

I think if the station would have said anything other than straightening the hair to a minority, it might have been acceptable.

 

[LdyKamz]

Oh her advice wasn't as bad as I thought. I was ready to go off. She basically said for the sake of this project she should do it. When she gets older depending on her market she can decide what she wants to do. Now when you have professional opportunities you have to decide whether you are willing to compromise who you are or what you agree with. Personally I would pull it back in a bun as a compromise and if they still didn't like that and absolutely insisted on straightening I 'd have to go. (Because as a natural my hair isn't straighter when I put it in a bun. Not by far). Also she doesn't necessarily have to straighten. Roller sets with smooth it out some.

The problem with the intern seems to be she doesn't seem interested in even the bun. Because when she pulled it back she puffed out some hair in the front defeating the purpose of the bun. Lol

 

[tasha5951]

I understand both sides...I'm a performer and some of my contracts state that my employer (ie-theatre) can do whatever they want with my hair...if they want to have me shave it into a Mohawk and dye it blue...they can. Because, in entertainment (and let's not kid ourselves, broadcast news is now 80% entertainment) YOU are the product that sells! That's hard to hear but it's true...I think that, if she was white and had that much hair, she'd be hearing something very similar.

 

[Cattypus1]

This makes me sad. It takes me back to when I was the lone Sista on the cheerleading squad and I was told to put my hair in ponytails so that I would look like everyone else...WHAT! I never had more than about 4 inches of hair until I was a senior in high school. I couldn't have made a ponytail with my TWA if I had wanted to. I'd have thought we'd be done with this foolishness by now.

 

[julzinha]

If they have an issue with her 3B curls, what the hell would they have told a woman with type 4 hair.

 

[yaya24]

She seemed unbothered. So I am too.

If my job told me to have straight hair (iguess entertainment industry), I'd get a custom slayed wig.

The world I work in (Insurance/Finance) accepts natural hair.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

There are a lot of news reporters who are natural but wear straight weave for work because of the image their station wants to portray.
I recall one reporter talking about her weave after her co-host called her out. Her natural hair is longer than her weave.

This reporter is on in VA at my parents -

 

[Queensheba88]

I agree my cousin is a news reporter with beautiful natural hair..she wears weave for the look they ask for

 

[LdyKamz]

There are a lot of news reporters who are natural but wear straight weave for work because of the image their station wants to portray.
I recall one reporter talking about her weave after her co-host called her out. Her natural hair is longer than her weave.

This reporter is on in VA at my parents -

Didn't watch the whole video - just until she showed the picture of her natural hair. It was cute. Were they answering a rebuttal from someone from lipstick alley? I cracked up at that.

 

[happycakes]

Sounds like a law suit to me! Sue and use that money to start up your business.

Thoughts? Her advice is bogus in my opinion. She shouldn't have to straighten it if she doesn't want to. I can see possibly pulling it into a bun. However telling her she has to change the texture of her hair is unacceptable. #wnct #angelagreen #naturalhair

 

[Foxglove]

Broadcast tv is another world because the powers that be really do have that much control. Even veterans in the biz have no say over what their hair looks like so it will be really hard for the newbies to go against the grain. It really is straighten/weave or go find another job.
In other fields though it is more acceptable

 

[happycakes]

Yep, a custom slayed wig sounds like a great idea. I'd still try to sue first though. LOL

She seemed unbothered. So I am too.

If my job told me to have straight hair (iguess entertainment industry), I'd get a custom slayed wig.

The world I work in (Insurance/Finance) accepts natural hair.

 

[happycakes]

When we accept our natural beauty, perhaps the rest of the world will as well. Let's first start with our boyfriends, husbands and the rest of the family.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

When we accept our natural beauty, perhaps the rest of the world will as well. Let's first start with our boyfriends, husbands and the rest of the family.

It's not only about natural hair. Everyone in broadcasting who is on air has to live and die by the image their employer wants.
I'm sure it's in their contract to get approval before making any drastic changes to their hair.

 

[Cattypus1]

A lady at work who stopped me months ago and asked me about my hair took the plunge and big chopped. When she talked to me months ago she said she was transitioning but wasn't ready for her natural texture so she was wearing wigs. Today, she walked up to me without her wig and thanked me for giving her the Push she needed to wear her natural hair to work. We both are sporting twistouts. I was really proud. She asked for my number. So she could call me about my hair.

 

[coolhandlulu]

This irks me to no end. Diversity needs to be celebrated. And why is the only option for her to straighten it. Straightening our hair is not the same as straightening yt hair. Heck, even yt hair can't take all that heat. They should have consulted a stylist and given the girl some options. We should have options that is appropriate for our texture of hair is all I'm saying.

 

[coolhandlulu]

There are a lot of news reporters who are natural but wear straight weave for work because of the image their station wants to portray.
I recall one reporter talking about her weave after her co-host called her out. Her natural hair is longer than her weave.

This reporter is on in VA at my parents -

They need to get a room. The body language is screaming.

 

[Coilystep]

This irks me to no end. Diversity needs to be celebrated. And why is the only option for her to straighten it. Straightening our hair is not the same as straightening yt hair. Heck, even yt hair can't take all that heat. They should have consulted a stylist and given the girl some options. We should have options that is appropriate for our texture of hair is all I'm saying.

I don't understand why staightening was the only option given. There are so many other things that could have been done.

As far as a news persons having to have the same look all the time I don't know. Down here in Atlanta we had a news person by the name of Monica Kauffman/Pearson who changed her look all the time. She's retired now but she was the main person for years on the abc affiliate.

 

[coolhandlulu]

I don't understand why staightening was the only option given. There are so many other things that could have been done.

As far as a news persons having to have the same look all the time I don't know. Down here in Atlanta we had a news person by the name of Monica Kauffman/Pearson who changed her look all the time. She's retired now but she was the main person for years on the abc affiliate.View attachment 341697 View attachment 341699 View attachment 341701 View attachment 341703 View attachment 341705

Atlanta and Baltimore don't really count. lol. I'm sure there's a struggle, but it's not as real as in other places.