Wake up! It's natural-hair-discourse-O'clock!
- Miss.Understood
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
In light of it being this time of year again, my favourite season, I am bringing a LinkedIn post over to Miss.understood to further amplify the age old political conundrum that is Black women’s hair. I originally wrote the piece below in early 2025 as a kind of corporate declaration of the hair journey I was on. A pre warning, if you will, that I had completely given up on extensions and would be moving forward with my natural hair in its natural state only!
I call it a pre warning because, whilst I recognised that some of the burden sat with me and my own perception of my natural hair, I also knew there was a significant portion of onus on the systems and external perceptions that still view textured hair as unprofessional in corporate spaces. The reality is that this is not just a personal insecurity. Research has shown that around 66% of Black women say they change their hair for a job interview, with many opting to straighten it in order to feel they will be taken more seriously. Source: https://www.thecrownact.com/research-studies
Whilst going natural has often been framed as a political statement, I think the modern woman of colour is simply trying to embody the well worn corporate phrase of "bring[ing] your whole self to work." As someone who has worked hard to build a career in corporate environments, I am still very aware of how much mental energy goes into considering my appearance. My skin already stands out in all the corporate gatherings, must my hair also do the same? I know that what I experience as a bad hair day can easily be interpreted by others as laziness if I choose to cover up with a scarf. I also feel the very real impact this has on my self esteem and, at times, my likelihood to put my hand up, speak up, push back, go against the grain, stand with conviction, or be seen as someone capable of stepping into leadership.
This conversation was recently brought back into focus by a TikToker named Sharon, who goes by the handle @sshozxox. She not so gently calls out the fact that although our hair was historically policed by others, we have in many ways picked up the baton, becoming active participants in maintaining the very standards that once restricted us, all whilst continuing to pass these notions down to the generations that will come after us. We reach for what we consider more presentable or easier to manage, often under the guise of simply maintaining and protecting our natural tresses. She highlights how quickly we can rush the routine needed for 4C hair to truly flourish, yet somehow find all the time in the world to carefully maintain wigs and styles that align more closely with smoother textures.
Again, this is not imagined. Studies have also found that Black women’s natural hairstyles are more likely to be perceived as less professional and less suitable for job interviews compared with straightened styles. Source: https://www.fuqua.duke.edu/duke-fuqua-insights/ashleigh-rosette-research-suggests-bias-against-natural-hair-limits-job
Sharon’s response comes after @layoschoice (influencer's), video resurfaced from a podcast clip filmed two years ago, where she referred to her own 4C hair as “tough”. Since this conversation gained momentum, the internet has been firmly divided on what the actual issue is with wearing wigs.
On one side, there are those who see wigs as a simple choice. A protective style. A convenience. A form of self expression. On the other, Sharon’s delivery has encouraged people to sit with the more nuanced reality. Video testimonies have emerged from Black women who say they have only just felt liberated enough to wear their natural hair out in its shrunken state, and still feel beautiful, for the first time in years following Sharon’s impromptu TED Talk.
Love it or hate it, this much needed conversation has caused ripples across the pond, with creators from the US adding to the discourse. Some speak about liberation from deeply rooted trauma, while others defend a lifestyle grounded in a Black woman’s right to choose her personal preference. One creator, who goes by the TikTok handle @taniya_beonsay04, shared that her natural hair content has “skyrocketed, especially in the UK” following the debate.
So now the question is not just about wigs. It is about autonomy. About whether a Black woman can wear her natural hair without judgement, and equally whether she can choose not to without her decisions being rooted in self hatred.
Let me know what you think in the comment section below, or share your thoughts with me personally here. ⬇️
The past couple of weeks have been a struggle to maintain the 'kept' corporate girl standard, following my decision to embrace my natural fro and practice showing up as my authentic self.
My fellow textured corporate readers know the battle of juggling work, travel and rest whilst clocking in for a pre-shift of hair maintenance.
You either lose sleep for a morning sesh or sleep in one position to maintain the do from the night before.
You sacrifice the longevity of your edges for the perfect slick back bun, and then you sit at your desk trying to relieve some of the tension in your scalp throughout the day by pulling at tight spots. Or you embrace your natural texture and overanalyse whether the blur filter thinks your hair is part of the background during your afternoon meeting.
At some point we have to collectively re-asses the standards that we put on ourself where professionalism and hair texture are concerned.
What is natural cannot be unpresentable, and what is normalised will eventually be accepted.
I’m not for a moment suggesting that it will be easy to go against centuries of conditioning to believe that straight hair is the only presentable hair. My effort to reassess my own biases and challenge the discomfort I feel in my natural state is just a small part of a much larger conversation.
In the meantime though, let's try to re-imagine what it means to be presentable and allow our natural, textured, unruly curls and kinks some grace, and a seat at the corporate table. ➿
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