The phenomenal artist India Arie eloquently sang “I am NOT my hair,” and “worthy,” yet still, Black women and girls continually face hair discrimination at school and the workplace. For many Black girls and women, straightening their natural hair has served as a way to avoid hair discrimination and bias at school and the workplace. Natural hair is hair that hasn’t been altered by chemical straighteners, including relaxers and texturizers, and using chemical hair straighteners to conform to both spoken and unspoken rules comes at a great cost: Scalp damage, pain and an increased risk of developing uterine cancer.
Some Black girls and women have turned to chemical hair straighteners to smooth their natural hair because nonchemical options are less permanent. However, a 2022 National Institutes of Health study, known as the “Sister Study,” found the use of chemical hair straighteners is linked to negative health effects on women such as uterine cancer, endometriosis and fibroid tumors. “Because Black women use hair straightening or relaxer products more frequently and tend to initiate use at earlier ages than other races and ethnicities, these findings may be even more relevant for them,” said Che-Jung Chang, Ph.D., an author on the study and a research fellow in the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Epidemiology Branch.
A 2021 study titled “The Natural Hair Bias in Job Recruitment” uncovered evidence of natural-hair bias against Black women in the workplace. The study was published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science. Researchers in that study asked 240 Black and white women to review 8 images of Black women and 8 images of white women. Half of the photos showed Black women with natural or straight hair, and the other half showed white women with curly or straight hair. The researchers then asked all of the survey participants to rate the images they’d reviewed. Rating categories included perceived professionalism, competence and likelihood of selecting the women for a job interview.
Study authors found that “Black women with natural hairstyles were perceived to be the least professional, least competent, and least likely to be recommended for an interview across all comparison groups.” The authors concluded that “natural hairstyle bias may be a subtle yet consequential cause” for the negative workplace outcomes Black women face, including higher unemployment rates than their white female counterparts.
Socioeconomic factors related to hair discrimination include (but are not limited to):
- Bias: People may be overlooked for promotions, become marginalized, have limited opportunities, receive unfair treatment and be subjected to negative stereotypes.
- Economic Disparities: Limited job opportunities, lack of career advancement, fewer promotions and lower-paid positions can contribute to preexisting socioeconomic inequalities.
- Legal Implications: The CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) is legislation that protects against bias based on certain natural hairstyles. It has been enacted in a number of U.S. states.
- Mental Impact: Those who deal with natural hair bias can become overwhelmed with stress and anxiety at work. They may also have less confidence and lower self-esteem, which can greatly impact overall job satisfaction.
Although Black people make up approximately 13 percent of the U.S. population, estimates suggest that African Americans account for almost 22 percent of the $42 Billion-a-year personal care products market. This means that the potential for exposure to harmful ingredients through cosmetics products is higher within the community than any other demographic.
An analysis of ingredients in over 1,100 beauty and personal care products marketed to women revealed about one in 12 was ranked highly hazardous on the scoring system of EWG’s Skin Deep® Cosmetics Database. A significant concern is the lack of funded research to better understand the health hazards of cosmetics and other personal care products marketed to women. If you are a Black-owned cosmetics manufacturer/small business, consider joining the Cosmetic Science Review (CSR) Business directory today. Advocacy organizations such as Black Women for Wellness, West Harlem Environmental Action, and Women’s Voices for the Earth have reported on the issue and published guides for minimizing exposure to potentially hazardous ingredients, but the body of scientific research is woefully sparse. Still, the available studies raise serious concerns.
The CROWN Act is not just about institutional policy changes, it’s about embracing cultural shifts and dismantling the ways we police other people’s bodies and indoctrinate them to police themselves. Remember, beauty is beyond skin deep, and we must create opportunities for folks to show up authentically, even across our various professional spaces.
Referenced Article : Hair Discrimination in the Workplace: How it Affects Mental Health (consumernotice.org)