Professionalism is a Racial Construct

Introduction

I have my first fellowship this summer, and I have been very excited about it. I’ve been shopping for business attire, trying out new makeup looks, and researching what I will experience during the program. However, I recently realized that I don’t have a plan for my hair. Part of me wants to walk in with my afro; another part of me is scared that I will be taken less seriously or seen as less attractive. But why should I be so scared about what my hair dictates about me?

The answer lies in the long history of discrimination Black women face in professional spaces, especially when it comes to hair. Even though the CROWN Act was passed a couple of years ago, I see it merely as a title because how do you truly prove discrimination, especially when it comes to appearance? Let’s see if we can find an answer.

The CROWN Act

Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair is a law passed in 2019 to prohibit race-based hair discrimination in schools, housing, and workplaces. It has yet to pass the Senate, despite being almost 10 years old. Despite the improvements the CROWN Act has made to society, we still need to drive further change.

Discrimination may be illegal, but bias is not.

Let’s say you and your coworker are up for a promotion, and you have the greatest records in your department, but you lose the promotion. Was it because of your boss’s bias and racism? Maybe you can prove it? No, unless they say it to your face. The concept of the CROWN Act is an amazing addition to our laws; however, laws alone cannot erase workplace cultures and beauty standards that have been reinforced for generations. That’s our job.

Professionalism is a Racial Construct

What does it truly mean to look and act professional?

Traditional professional dress has been adopted from 17th- and 19th-century European courts and military uniforms, styles we still wear today. From the beginning, our professionalism wasn’t our own but was forced upon us, like many other things. The only reason our hair is deemed “unprofessional” is because white men said so; because of this, workplace culture subconsciously reinforces gender, racial, and appearance bias.

Redefining Professionalism

So what is professionalism? It is a racial construct that controls and minimizes our behaviors, appearances, and personalities in workplace environments. I’m not saying to show up to work in a clown costume, but you should feel comfortable expressing yourself, wearing your hair how you please, and dressing in a way that is professional and makes you feel confident without feeling less than. But that's not going to happen if you don't change the narrative of professionalism, so we can make more inclusive environments.

And that's the answer, the CROWN Act can protect us to an extent, but we also have to be true to ourselves, expressive, and supportive of one another.