They Tried To Make Me Take Off My Headwrap

[anahnamuslyyours]

The manager for my department is of the mindset that you shouldn't wear anything on your head unless it has something to do with your religious beliefs, so she told my boss to tell me I couldn't wear my headwrap to work. I got a little bit pissy and ended up pulling the whole "a White person wouldn't wear one" move. My boss went to HR for me about it and they shut lady down by saying it was a cultural thing and they couldn't dictate whether or not I wore a headwrap or whatever. But juss the fact that I had to go there was enough to piss me off for a good long time. Anybody else have to deal with mess like that?

 

[Lucky's Mom]

The manager for my department is of the mindset that you shouldn't wear anything on your head unless it has something to do with your religious beliefs, so she told my boss to tell me I couldn't wear my headwrap to work. I got a little bit pissy and ended up pulling the whole "a White person wouldn't wear one" move. My boss went to HR for me about it and they shut lady down by saying it was a cultural thing and they couldn't dictate whether or not I wore a headwrap or whatever. But juss the fact that I had to go there was enough to piss me off for a good long time. Anybody else have to deal with mess like that?

Honey - this is normal in Corporate America.... Get ready for that drama.

I left corporate America for a reason...

 

[Filmatic]

Honey - this is normal in Corporate America.... Get ready for that drama.

I left corporate America for a reason...

That's exactly why I'm going to school for a career where I can wear what I want. They can't tell you what to wear. Maybe it's because of where I live, but here people wear them all the time.

 

[anahnamuslyyours]

I think what pissed me off the most about it was that this is the same place where people have rainbow colored hair and visible body piercings and tattoos. What the freak is wrong with me covering up my hair?

 

[jasmin]

I hate corporate America. You have to deal with those racist people too closely.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

I think what pissed me off the most about it was that this is the same place where people have rainbow colored hair and visible body piercings and tattoos. What the freak is wrong with me covering up my hair?

The double standard remains.

Thankfully - as a college professor - I won't have that problem.

 

[MAMATO]

That's sad, you wear whatever you want on your hair...unless they state clearly and objectively what is allowed or not... so everybody would be on the same track.... We are not allowed to wear extensions in my company (on nails or hair), but it is just because we don't want them to end up in our customers products since we are a food company... no jewelry or headwrap as well, but it is a clearly stated condition we all agree with before we even get hired.

 

[PassionFruit]

this is EXACTLY what I was referring to in that other thread a week or so ago when the OP said she asked a co-worker something about her natural hair & the co-worked acted "funny"...

This is a regular thing in corporate America... its hard for some folks to fathom that there are places where even microbraids arent acceptable...
I work for a very conservative MAJOR USA corporation... When going for a promotion, I ( and others like me) were pulled over to the side & told to play VERY conservative... to cut our hair, trim our nails... dont wear much more than clear polish and to dress in neutral colors while wearing nothing short or tight... The most qualified person had waist length dreads... didnt cut them.... he did not get promoted

 

[AvaSpeaks]

Well this is what you have to deal with if you are going work in corporate america.

It's like the other poster said, she left for a reason.

 

[hopeful]

I think what pissed me off the most about it was that this is the same place where people have rainbow colored hair and visible body piercings and tattoos. What the freak is wrong with me covering up my hair?

That would tick me off too! I'm glad you stood up for yourself.

 

[Country gal]

I think what pissed me off the most about it was that this is the same place where people have rainbow colored hair and visible body piercings and tattoos. What the freak is wrong with me covering up my hair?

perplexed Sounds like your boss thinks it is too ethnic.

 

[LovelyZ]

if folks get a pass becasue of their religion, you should be able to wear it too. Regardless of the reason its being worn, the end result is that an employee has a headwrap on. So if its acceptable for one person it should be acceptable for all.

 

[SoforReal]

This is news to me. When I used to go to career fairs at my college the companies would always say you should only wear dread locks or head wraps if it's a part of your religion. Because it wasn't "corporate" enough

 

[Forever in Bloom]

Where I work, it's completely okay to wear pretty much whatever you want. Corporate urges us to be funky, wear crazy makeup, wear hats, yada yada yada When I did the BC, I was still pretty uncomfortable with wearing my hair out so I would put cute headscarves on and some big hoop earrings. My manager would always find a way to mention my headscarves and I noticed she started taking hours away from me. Even if corporate tells you one thing, the people underneath them can still say something diffferent. I wear them every once in a while just to tick her off

 

[naturalgurl]

WHAT!!!! I work in corporate America(if working around suits in administration count) BUT I work for a University cancer hospital. They are BIG on diversity. So many people from all over the world come here for treatment and work here. I'm so thankful for that. I wear my puff, my fro, head wraps, whatever. It must be really hard to bite your tongue around such ignorance!

 

[Tee]

OP...........I hear what you are saying and I dont think what i am going to say is what you had on, but I must throw this out there.

We had a temp a few years back who would come to work with DuRag on her hair at least 2 times a week. When one of them finally got the nerve to say something to her about it, she wanted to say they were racist.
She was being lazy and didn't feel like combing her TWA.

*This is the same chick who wore Green, blue, purple, and red fingerswaves. She wore her hair to match her clothes. Just a hot mess!

 

[anahnamuslyyours]

No, Tee, I did not have on a DuRag. And I would never color my hair to match my outfits....LOL.

I actually felt a little bad about being so upset about it, but the more I thought about it, the more angry I got because it was so random and crazy to me that my headwrap bun was being seen as a "hat" but the same company who don't care if this guy comes to work with neon orange hair, or that at least 10 out of the 30 people in my department have tattoos and/or piercings that are on display daily.

And while HR was quick to say that this manager could not deem my "cultural" decision inappropriate for the workplace, I feel all the people who said that they may say it's okay now, but in their minds it (and I) is a problem. But I already have a rep for being a troublemaker as it is since I refuse to take everything they tell me without questioning it, and am quick to step up for someone else if they are being wronged and won't say anything. I don't really have any big plans for this job - I'm not dying to go into management or anything like that - so I'm okay with them labeling me that way for now. My actual boss sticks up for me if need be, and is plenty fine with listening to me, and that's all I'm worried about for the moment.