Our Hair Is Universally Beautiful Until Our Jobs Say Otherwise
Another brown beauty was fired for her hair, but this time it was Gabrielle Union. Alleged she was let go from the tv show “America’s Got Talent” due to the show executives excessively complaining that her hairstyles were “Too Black”. Hmm… too Black?
What defines a hairstyle as “Too Black”? I wish I knew the answer to that question because our hair is universally beautiful for non-Black celebrities to emulate, popularize on social media but when we wear our unique hairstyles, our jobs give us the side-eye warning, maybe a written warning and then the boot. It’s such a shame. Laws are being passed but it keeps happening. What’s really going on with these unjustified actions of employers terminating employees for reasons that have nothing to do with their jobs duties?
Laws Are Being Passed
If you have seen the headlines lately, Gabrielle Union got fired and laws are being passed in states such as California and cities specifically New York City, where employers cannot terminate a person because of their choice of hairstyles. In January Brittany Noble Jones, a former news anchor spoke about being fired in 2018 for her decision to wear her natural hair over straighten it. Remember the teenager who applied for a job at Six Flags, but wasn’t hired because of his dreads? Yeah, well them doing that was unjustified but the joke was on them when he landed a modeling contract. Remember the other teenage boy this year who was in a high school wrestling match and the White referee made him choose between cutting his dreads or being forfeited? Well, the joke was also on him because although the young man, his actions were so appalling that the referee was banned and suspended for 2 years. Now that we are in the month of December in the year of 2019, we continue to have this problem with White executives with firing capabilities giving people the pink slip and despite Gabrielle’s notoriety, she was not excluded.
Gabrielle’s Hair & Stylist Larry Sims Making Headlines
Credit: Larry Sims IG
If you have seen the number of hairstyles that Gabrielle has had within the past 2 years, you would definitely screenshot them and take them to your hairstylist. She wore Afros, braids, bobs, long weaves, long and loose curls, ponytails, full-body curls - you name it - all created by her hairstylist Larry Sims.
Credit: Instagram.com
Every week on the episodes of America’s Got Talented, Gabrielle’s hairstyles changed and considering the name of the show, it actually fits. She is an American. She has talent. Her hairstylist has talent and it should be showcased. Hell, the show is about exploiting talent in America aka “The land of the free”, correct? Sims is creating so many beautiful styles for her and many other hairstylists in Black Hollywood that I am in awe.
The latest cover of Essence featuring Regina King
Credit: Larry Sims IG
and Allure featuring Zendaya are examples of his extraordinary and out of the “Plain Jane” box of hairstyles.
Credit: Larry Sims IG
Anyone (well almost anyone) can attach a wig to a head, put some curls in it and say, “they are ready to be filmed” and think they’ve done a good job but not Sims. Sims is out here proving to folks with his love, passion, creativity and natural-born ability to manipulate hair into out of the norm hairstyles, that his clients are to be admired and not fired. I love it.
The Demand For Black Style Teams In Hollywood
Credit: Styling Hollywood IG
Like makeup artists, the demand for Black hairstylists in Hollywood will never stop increasing. There are many actors and actresses who need barbers and hairstylists onset (of films and television shows) that can actually cut and style hair of different wave patterns and textures. As a professional and licensed barber/hairstylist for over 7 years, I can attest to this. I have lived in several major cities and have physically seen television actors, athletes and musicians come to predominately Minority-owned hair salons and barbershops because those hired on production sets were not able to style or cut their hair. I mean take a look at the haircuts and the hairstyles from the late 90s and the early 2000’s. Those hairstyles were not doing anyone justice. Have you seen the Netlix original series “Styling Hollywood”? This show is about 2 men in Hollywood that are primarily styling Black celebrities and they touch upon the fact that more of us in the beauty and fashion industry need to be a part of Black or People of Color styling teams.
Although businesses in America aren’t legally allowed to discriminate against our skin color (and they also get a pat on the back with tax breaks for hiring People of Color) we can still be fired or not hired because of our hair. It’s sad that we are still devalued for our hairstyle choices all the while hiring friends because of “potential” is still a thing.
“Our Hair Is Universally Beautiful Until Our Jobs Say Otherwise”.
Credit: Larry Sims IG
