A Bad (Hair) Day For Dreadlocks | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

A Bad (Hair) Day For Dreadlocks

Refusing to hire someone because they have dreadlocks is now legal.

154
A Bad (Hair) Day For Dreadlocks
Huffington Post

Imagine walking into a job interview. Nerves on end, hoping to make a good impression, you dressed up very nice. The manager offers you a job, on one condition–you remove the cross necklace from your neck.

You are caught off guard, shocked that the manager requested this. Christianity is a huge part of your family and culture–it has been for many generations. You feel that this cross necklace is a part of your identity, and you find it unfair to be asked to take it off in order to get a job.

Well, luckily, this isn’t legal in the United States, in terms of discrimination towards cross-wearing Christians, that is. However, recently the Court of Appeals ruled that it is legal to turn down a job applicant because they have dreadlocks.

Wait, what? OK, let’s back up a bit.

Dreadlocks and Workplace Discrimination

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it illegal to discriminate in the workplace based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. Sounds like a good law to me. Now, how do dreadlocks factor into this law?

There has been debate over whether dreadlocks are, indeed, a product of black culture. Some argue that thousands of years ago, humans didn’t have combs and brushes, therefore creating something like what a modern day dreadlock would look like.

There have also been signs of the hairstyle speculated in ancient Egyptian artifacts, suggesting Egypt as its origin. Although this may be true, the modern term “dreadlock” is a product of Rastafarian culture, originating in Ethiopia during the early 1900s. Many Rastafarians identify dreadlocks a symbol of African identity.

So, dreadlocks fall under the categories of race, color, religion and national origin, making the hairstyle qualify for four out of five of the protections under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Although dreadlocks are not exclusively worn by Rastafarians or people of African descent, there is definitely a significant link between the black community and wearing locks. Despite this, Jeannie Wilson, a manager for Catastrophe Management Solutions, terminated a job offer to a woman named Chastity Jones because of her dreadlocks, and claimed that her actions were in no violation of workplace discrimination law because the hairstyle is “racially neutral.”

The Case: EEOC v. CMS

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, EEOC, recently filed a lawsuit against Catastrophe Management Solutions, CMS, because of the termination of a job offered to Jones because of her dreadlocks.

A brief of the case states that “the EEOC’s [claim] would also produce a host of practical difficulties and unintended, perverse effects. Under the EEOC’s approach, employers, judges, and juries would be required to engage in unbounded racial and anthropological theorizing, speculating about what hairstyles, clothing, or other practices are “associated with” different races [...] and cultures; whether a given employee is of that race, nation, or culture; and whether the employee is, by her hairstyle or some other practice, engaging in a display of racial or cultural pride.”

Well, that’s a valid point. It does take extra effort to determine whether or not an act of discrimination is taking place. For example, what if an employer permitted a black employee to wear dreadlocks, but not a white employee in the same position? Things get tricky.

So, yes, this is a complicated issue. I’m not saying there’s a quick-fix, simple solution. It’s not all black and white (ha). But shouldn’t we be putting as much effort as is necessary towards ending discrimination in the workplace?

It’s much easier for hiring manager, Wilson, to say that she won’t hire Jones because dreadlocks “tend to get messy.”

What if instead of dreadlocks, it was a cross necklace? What if Jeannie Wilson claimed that cross necklaces ‘tend to get messy’? Just the same as dreadlocks, it’s pretty hard to imagine how much of a mess can really be made by a necklace.

It seems as though the Court of Appeals has turned a blind eye to the large amount of religious and racial baggage of dreadlocks, rather deciding that the hairstyle is ‘racially neutral.’ This is a quick-fix ‘solution’ to a complicated problem that deserves more time and consideration than it has been given.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Relationships

20 Things You Forgot To Thank Your Mom For

Moms are super heroes dressed in yesterday's clothing and they deserve an award for that.

490
family
Facebook

Dear Mom,

You took care of me and my brothers our entire lives and you still continue to! I will not be able to truly grasp all of the hard work that you put into this family until I create my own one day. But, I know that there are plenty of times I forgot to give you a simple thank you or an appreciative smile. I thank you for everything that you have done for me and will continue to do for me. Here are some examples of those times where you had my back and I forgot to pat your back for saving me:

Keep Reading...Show less
pumpkin
Holytaco.com

College is hard. As people ages 18-22, we’re just trying to figure out what we’re doing with our lives, our careers, our eating habits, exercise routines, sleep patterns, and other necessities for adult life. We definitely don’t take proper care of ourselves; it’s basically impossible when we have essays, tests and readings due and somehow we’re supposed to eat right, exercise and sleep. We’re doomed to get sick. I have zero experience in science but when I get sick there are certain things I do to make myself better.

Keep Reading...Show less
Bob's Burgers
Hyannishyball

First of all, there is no shortage of fun when you're together.

And you often find yourselves entertaining each others terrible ideas.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

The Unwritten Rules Of "Talking"

What is "talking?" How does one "talk?"

8744
girl holding phone
NYCPRGIRLS

Now that it seems “talking” is the new way to date, and will stay that way until another idiotic term is used to describe the people who can’t settle down and just date someone, I feel as if it’s time to go over the unwritten rules of “talking.”

Rule 1. Having feeling without feeling.

Keep Reading...Show less
The Stages of Having FOMO in College
iamthatgirl.com

Are you one of those people that gets super upset when you miss out on anything? Well, you may have FOMO, or fear of missing out. In college it’s not hard to experience FOMO every once in a while. You just love doing everything and anything, so hen you have to miss out on something it's the worst possible thing in your mind. Whether you’re sick, have to work, or have so much work to do you could cry – FOMO will hit you hard in college.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments