In 2013, you’d think that Black women wouldn’t have to worry about our hair texture in the workplace, but there are a number of women who aren’t quite confident that is the case. Last week, Georgia State University hosted a panel discussion entitled “Black Women, Their Hair and The Work Place” where naturalistas sounded off about whether they felt their hair had an impact on their careers.
“You’re talking about being polished and (having) interview skills and yet no one is addressing the fact that natural black hair has been traditionally seen as not polished on its own whether it’s well cared for or not,” James “Jay” Bailey, chief executive officer of Operation HOPE and a panelist at the event, told SaportaReport. “So basically it’s all about maintaining the Eurocentric standpoint.”
Do you think wearing natural hair still carries somewhat of a negative stigma in corporate environments? Although the natural hair trend is still growing and more women are confident about rocking their kinks and coils, do women feel we have to downplay our natural hair to achieve professional success? Take our poll and sound off in the comments section.
[poll id=278286]