While progress has been made to end hair discrimination with the passage of The CROWN Act in some states across the US, race-based hair discrimination remains a systemic problem in the workplace – from hiring practices to daily workplace interactions – disproportionately impacting Black women’s employment opportunities and professional advancement.
The NEW CROWN 2023 Workplace Research Study, co-commissioned by Dove and LinkedIn, found that Black women’s hair is 2.5x more likely to be perceived as unprofessional, and details the systemic social and economic impact of hair bias and discrimination against Black women in the workplace. Additional findings showed that bias against natural hair and protective styles can impact how Black women navigate the hiring process. Approximately 2/3 of Black women (66%) change their hair for a job interview. Among them, 41% changed their hair from curly to straight. Additionally, Black women are 54% more likely (or over 1.5x more likely) to feel like they have to wear their hair straight to a job interview to be successful.
The report highlighted how hair discrimination has led Black women to have a negative experience or outcomes within the workplace. In fact, Black women with coily/textured hair are 2x as likely to experience microaggressions in the workplace than Black women with straighter hair. More worryingly, over 20% of Black women 25-34 have been sent home from work because of their hair.
RIFE HAIR DISCRIMINATION AT WORK
In short, young Black professionals are feeling the pressure from hair discrimination the most. Nearly half (44%) of Black women under age 34 feel pressured to have a headshot with straight hair. And a quarter (25%) of Black women believe they have been denied a job interview because of their hair, which is even higher for women under 34 (1/3).
“For far too long, Black women and men have been subject to unfair treatment, outright discrimination and a myriad of inequities for simply wearing our natural hair texture and hair styles that are inherent to our cultural identity. This includes being denied employment, being sent home from work, being overlooked for promotions, and a range of micro-aggressions. This may be hard to believe, but it is real, clearly unwarranted, and unacceptable,” says Esi Eggleston Bracey, President & CEO of Unilever Personal Care in North America. “The goal of the partnership between Dove and LinkedIn is to help put an end to race-based hair discrimination in the workplace. We intend to shine a light on this issue and call upon employers, hiring managers, and professionals to adopt equitable and inclusive practices that create a respectful and open world for natural hair.”
ACTIONS TO END RACE-BASED HAIR DISCRIMINATION
In support of The CROWN Act, Dove and LinkedIn have partnered on a series of actions to help end race-based hair discrimination in the workplace nationwide. Together, they will:
- Provide free access to 10 LinkedIn Learning courses focused on creating a more equitable and inclusive work environment, with a goal to educate 1 million hiring managers and workplace professionals by the end of 2023.
- Illuminate the real and measurable adverse impact hair discrimination continues to have on Black women in the workplace through the CROWN 2023 Workplace Research Study.
- Elevate and celebrate the real stories and voices of Black women professionals across LinkedIn and social media platforms using #BlackHairIsProfessional to help redefine what society deems “professional” at work.
BLACK HAIR IS PROFESSIONAL
While talent is equally distributed, opportunity is not. Cultural identifiers, like hair, are not determining factors for someone’s skills or experience, and no one should be denied employment opportunities or professional advancement because of their hair,” stated Rosanna Durruthy, Global Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at LinkedIn. “As Dove works to change legislation, LinkedIn is working to change workplace behaviour by training and educating one million hiring managers and human resources professionals on inclusive and equitable business practices. The mission of ending race-based hair discrimination is critically important to our own desire to make work, work better for everyone.”
Dove will continue to drive awareness of The CROWN Act across platforms, encourage petition signatures, and support the passing of The CROWN Act to help end race-based hair discrimination nationwide. Dove co-founded the CROWN Coalition in 2019 alongside non-profits including the National Urban League, Color of Change, and Western Center on Law and Poverty to advance anti-hair discrimination legislation and create a more equitable and inclusive beauty experience for Black women and girls. Since then, the CROWN Coalition has grown to an alliance of more than 100 organisations that work together to pass the CROWN Act.
Everyone can take action to help pass The CROWN Act to end hair discrimination in the workplace. Visit Dove.com/LinkedIn to learn more, sign the CROWN Act petition and access free courses that support a more equitable and inclusive work environment because #BlackHairIsProfessional.
RELATED ARTICLES
US Crown Act paves way to end hair discrimination in the US.
New Jersey approves legislation to ban hair discrimination.
CROWN Coalition take action to stamp out hair discrimination in the pool.
Workplace discrimination rampant for half of women from marginalised racial and ethnic groups around the world experience racism at work – especially darker-skinned, queer, and transgender women, a new report has revealed.
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