Giving Compass' Take:

• Samiha Khanna shares research that reveals bias against natural hairstyles keeps Black women from being seen as "professional," reducing their job opportunities.  

• Identifying biases is an important step toward addressing the barriers marginalized people face. Acting on this information is essential. 

• Learn about unequal pay for Black women. 

Black women with natural hairstyles, such as curly afros, braids, or twists, are often perceived as less professional than Black women with straightened hair, particularly in industries where norms dictate a more conservative appearance, new research suggests.

The findings offer empirical evidence that societal bias against natural Black hairstyles infiltrates the workplace and perpetuates race discrimination, says Ashleigh Shelby Rosette, a management professor and a senior associate dean who conducted the research at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

The impact of a woman’s hairstyle may seem minute, Rosette says, “but for Black women, it’s a serious consideration and may contribute to the lack of representation for Blacks in some organizational settings.

Participants were given profiles of Black and white female job candidates and asked to rate them on professionalism, competence, and other factors. Black women with natural hairstyles received lower scores on professionalism and competence and were not recommended as frequently for interviews compared with three other types of candidates: Black women with straightened hair and white women with curly or straight hair, the researchers found.

Read the full article about natural hair bias by Samiha Khanna at Futurity.