Why Black Hairstyles Remain a Focus of Workplace Diversity and Equality Issues

On the issue of workplace identity, the role of HR departments extends beyond legal compliance—even at the compliance level, protections against discrimination vary across the United States.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on age, ability, race, religion, and sex. But does the law offer equal protection for hairstyles worn by Black workers?

Even a limited understanding of the Black community reveals the importance of hair: box braids, cornrows, and locs in hair salons; precise fades and intricate patterns in barber chairs. These hairstyles are not just creative expression—they carry social, cultural, and political significance. The headwrap isa painful symbol of American slavery; the afro became an icon of the 20th-century civil rights movement. Alongside the slogan "Black is Beautiful," the Black diaspora in the West began to resist Eurocentric beauty standards.

"Hair is extremely sacred for Black people—it truly connects us to our ancestors and traditions," psychologist, hairstylist, and educator Afiya Mbilishaka told HR Dive. She runs PsychoHairapy, an organization that empowers Black hairstylists and barbers with skills to provide psychological support to their clients.

"In many traditional African societies, our hair was used in healing rituals," she says. "Rituals are a way to prepare your mind, body, and spirit to receive blessings."

Despite the long-standing importance of hair in the Black community, white beauty standards and their enforcement remain pervasive in American workplaces.

The CROWN Coalition, which advocates for the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act), reported in 2023 that Black women are 2.5 times more likely to have their hairstyles deemed "unprofessional." The survey, conducted in partnership with Dove, found that a majority of Black women surveyed said they hadchanged their hair for a job interview, with many specifically straightening their hair. About a quarter of Black women believe their hair was the reason they were denied an interview.

Even when Black women secure a job, they still face harassment and discrimination: about one in five Black women aged 25 to 34 have been sent home from work because of their hair. Additionally, Black women with curly textures are twice as likely to experience microaggressions at work as their counterparts with straight hair.

Another Coqual report, "Being Black in Corporate America: An Intersectional Exploration," highlights a common microaggression (which researchers call a "micro-insult"): non-Black colleaguestouching a Black colleague's hair without permission. (This phenomenon even inspired Solange Knowles' critically acclaimed song "Don't Touch My Hair》。）

"Hair that is not straightened, not chemically relaxed, natural hair—for most people, its acceptance is far less than you might imagine," Michelle Brown, vice president of leadership development at Coqual, told HR Dive. She only recently began wearing her hair curly, because previously curls were not considered "professional," while straight or slicked-back styles were.

"People used to say to me—not at Coqual, but in past experiences—'Oh, you didn't do your hair today,' when my hair was curly," she says, adding that she heard such comments more than once. "But times have changed, thank God, and I can now embrace my natural roots—I'm deeply proud of it," says Michelle Brown.

Where are Black workers protected from hair discrimination?

New York City is at the forefront of including hair in workplace discrimination protections. Although it isnot the onlycity with its own human rights law, its law is described as one of the most"comprehensive"worker protection systems in the largest U.S. labor market.

Beyond local human rights laws and enforcement commissions, the CROWN Act continues to takerootacross the United States, withmore than 20 stateshaving passed it.

"New York City's approach is that hair is an integral part of Black identity, and it can also be part of a person's religious identity," JoAnn Kamuf Ward, deputy commissioner for policy and external affairs at the NYC Commission on Human Rights, told HR Dive. "When you look at our materials, especially the rules, we elaborate on this." In its 2022 guidance, the NYC Commission on Human Rights stated: "Discriminatory policies related to hair, by reducing people's access to employment, education, and other opportunities based on race or religion, exacerbate social, economic, and educational inequalities."

The Commission emphasizes that under city law, workers have the right to:

• Style their hair as they wish, including hairstyle, hair texture, and coverings such as headwraps and yarmulkes, as well as facial and body hair.
• Not cater to customer preferences regarding hairstyles, such as views that certain styles are "unprofessional" or "distracting."
• Wear hairnets, headbands, headwraps, or other "safety devices" to manage hair when employers have legitimate safety concerns.
• Request reasonable accommodation from employers if hair styling is part of their religious practice.

The macro harm of microaggressions

Mbilishaka recalls her experience as a competitive swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania. "As the only Black person on the team, my hair was always a hot topic—especially when we had performances and everyone's hair had to match," she says. "But there was always the assumption that I couldn't do the same hairstyle as my teammates." Once, the team was asked to wear slicked-back high buns. "The captain looked at me and said: 'I don't think you can do that. Just do your own thing; you'll stand out.'" she recalls. Mbilishaka's hair was long, and she never told her teammates she couldn't do certain styles. She felt "shocked" and "uncomfortable" at being singled out that way. "There was clearly bias that influenced the direction and aesthetics of our performance image."

"Highlighting microaggressions is important because they have macro effects," says Michelle Brown. Whether intentional or not, microaggressions cause harm. "Yes, it's often unconscious," she acknowledges, "but the point is that these microaggressions 'stem from negative assumptions and biases rooted in racial stereotypes.'"

The psychologist emphasizes the emotional toll of hair discrimination—"shame, fear, anger, surprise, and disgust, and even having to deal with that awkwardness," says Mbilishaka. "These emotional experiences are stored in our minds and bodies." She adds that she still vividly remembers the swimming team experience from over 20 years ago.

What can HR do?

Even if a state or county does not have explicit laws against hair discrimination, Cataydra Brown, impact and policy advisor at the NYC Commission on Human Rights, still advises HR professionals to review their workplace policies. The senior policy advisor told HR Dive that grooming policies may appear "race-neutral" but "may contain biased language and be applied in a discriminatory manner to Black employees."

"One example—which could violate our laws—is a policy that mentions 'neat' hair, which of course implies and associates with white beauty standards and workplace professionalism," says Cataydra Brown.

Creating a deliberately inclusive work environment is also crucial to preventing hair discrimination. "I strongly recommend that every HR department truly examine its culture of belonging," says Cataydra Brown. "Do your employees feel they belong here?" She believes it comes down to representation. "I would look at the data—representation from the top down," she adds. "See how to improve and increase representation of Black professionals in the workplace so they can show up as their full selves."