The Crown Act Just Passed in Nebraska, Making Hair Discrimination Illegal

[RDKirk]

But the text of the bill goes beyond what you are talking about, and includes what I'm talking about. If someone wants to wear a fro in a suit, that is a personal choice, but it should not be forced by the law to be treated as professional.

Why is a 'fro not professional?

 

[renniks]

Some jobs require your hair to be in a net. I don't really see what this law is supposed to help do. What is acceptable as far as how you wear your hair is going to vary a lot depending on safety standards and neatness standards.

 

[RDKirk]

Some jobs require your hair to be in a net. I don't really see what this law is supposed to help do. What is acceptable as far as how you wear your hair is going to vary a lot depending on safety standards and neatness standards.

Safety standards are one thing.

Neatness standards could be anything.

 

[Sketcher]

I agree. Equally ridiculous is that a black woman who grows her natural hair long, but still manages to keep it neat and tidy, would be refused work based on her natural hair. Completely unnecessary.

Agreed there. The "solution" in the form of this law is less than adequate.

Why is a 'fro not professional?

Same reason shaggy hair on people of every skin color isn't professional.

But high and tight is not the only hairstyle allowed for men, there are a variety of hairstyles that are allowed. For black people, whatever their hair is, it's unprofessional unless it's a close shaven head. Afro? Unprofessional. Braids? Unprofessional. Dreads? Unprofessional. Flattop? Unprofessional. Shaving a line into hairline? Unprofessional.

There are more unprofessional haircuts that white people are allowed to have at home too, but they shouldn't have any expectation that sporting one of them to a job interview will be a help rather than a hindrance to getting that job. By the same token, wherever a business impression needs to be made with an in-person visit or a videoconference, a kempt, professional haircut is best.

It's never been about a professional work environment, it's always been about policing black hair and punishing anyone for not complying with a Eurocentric standard. If you straightened your hair, then a variety of hairstyles are now considered acceptable, it's acceptable because Eurocentric culture is being treated as "normal."

No, that's over-personalizing it.

 

[RDKirk]

Same reason shaggy hair on people of every skin color isn't professional.

I used to spend nearly an hour each morning on my 'fro when it was at its greatest length. Nothing "shaggy" about it.

 

[renniks]

Safety standards are one thing.

Neatness standards could be anything.

Which is kinda the point. Doesn't an employee have the right to demand certain standards of neatness at a job? If you're expected to wear a suit I wouldn't show up in dirty sweats and a t-shirt. And by the same token I should be expected to have neatly combed hair.

 

[RDKirk]

Which is kinda the point. Doesn't an employee have the right to demand certain standards of neatness at a job? If you're expected to wear a suit I wouldn't show up in dirty sweats and a t-shirt. And by the same token I should be expected to have neatly combed hair.

As I just said, I used to spend nearly an hour each morning on my 'fro when it was at its greatest length. Nothing "shaggy" about it.

 

[SongOnTheWind]

Agreed there. The "solution" in the form of this law is less than adequate.

Very CLEARLY we still disagree. This is exactly why this decision was reached, to protect people of colour of being discriminated against for jobs because of their NATURAL hair.

If the passing of this act does its job, which is to replace racism with fairness in the job market, then it will be adequate. It will be good for everyone. That's the beauty of true justice: it benefits everyone.

 

[SongOnTheWind]

Which is kinda the point. Doesn't an employee have the right to demand certain standards of neatness at a job? If you're expected to wear a suit I wouldn't show up in dirty sweats and a t-shirt. And by the same token I should be expected to have neatly combed hair.

Are you saying that afro hair cannot be neatly combed or styled?

 

[Sketcher]

Very CLEARLY we still disagree. This is exactly why this decision was reached, to protect people of colour of being discriminated against for jobs because of their NATURAL hair.

If the passing of this act does its job, which is to replace racism with fairness in the job market, then it will be adequate. It will be good for everyone. That's the beauty of true justice: it benefits everyone.

Again, just because it's natural doesn't mean it's automatically appropriate for a business setting. And putting the force of law behind saying that it is, is too much. Something may well have needed to be done on the female side of it, but this law is too far-reaching.

 

[SongOnTheWind]

Again, just because it's natural doesn't mean it's automatically appropriate for a business setting. And putting the force of law behind saying that it is, is too much. Something may well have needed to be done on the female side of it, but this law is too far-reaching.

Well, natural caucasian hair is considered normal for a work setting. Why shouldn't natural african hair?

 

[Sketcher]

Well, natural caucasian hair is considered normal for a work setting. Why shouldn't natural african hair?

There's a difference between what is considered to be and what is legislated to be.
Natural short hair on a Caucasian male is considered normal and professional. As is natural short hair on an African male.

 

[Sketcher]

I used to spend nearly an hour each morning on my 'fro when it was at its greatest length. Nothing "shaggy" about it.

OK, good on you then. White men with long hair can keep it relatively neat too, but at the same time that's not really professional looking. And here we have a law that says they both have to be accepted, which is where my bone of contention is.

 

[RDKirk]

OK, good on you then. White men with long hair can keep it relatively neat too, but at the same time that's not really professional looking. And here we have a law that says they both have to be accepted, which is where my bone of contention is.

I suspect that in real terms in the real world, beyond all the hysterical hypothesizing going on in this thread, issues will be worked out on an equitable basis, such as the military has done. If white women can wear their hair braided, black women can wear their hair in cornrows. If white men can wear their hair two inches long, black men can wear two-inch afros, et cetera.

 

[Sketcher]

I suspect that in real terms in the real world, beyond all the hysterical hypothesizing going on in this thread, issues will be worked out on an equitable basis, such as the military has done. If white women can wear their hair braided, black women can wear their hair in cornrows. If white men can wear their hair two inches long, black men can wear two-inch afros, et cetera.

That might be reasonable. In that vein, long dreadlocks on men at least should be right out. Because a lot of white guys who tried to look like the guys in Korn couldn't even do that right.

 

[RDKirk]

That might be reasonable. In that vein, long dreadlocks on men at least should be right out. Because a lot of white guys who tried to look like the guys in Korn couldn't even do that right.

Depends on what the hair of white men in same organization look like.

 

[SongOnTheWind]

An act has been passed against the discrimination of black people when it comes to getting jobs. I don't see the boogey man in this one.

 

[renniks]

As I just said, I used to spend nearly an hour each morning on my 'fro when it was at its greatest length. Nothing "shaggy" about it.

I wasn't talking about you specifically, but that misses the point. I can spend an hour spiking my hair, but if the boss wants it combed flat, I wasted an hour.

 

[renniks]

Are you saying that afro hair cannot be neatly combed or styled?

I never said anything about afro hair. I'm just saying that the employer can choose what is acceptable in his place of employment.

 

[CatsRule2020]

I never said anything about afro hair. I'm just saying that the employer can choose what is acceptable in his place of employment.

What posters here seem to be secretly hinting at is the biracial female that has went a year or two without a cut.