Apparently if you have a job as a security officer you cannot have an afro. One lady learned this the hard way, when she was fired because she refused to ‘tame’ her hair. As a result Tiffany Bryan filed a $900,000 lawsuit in Brooklyn federal court because of the discrimination she faced. Tiffany is only 27 years old and a bone marrow cancer survivor, so naturally she decided to stay away from chemicals and go natural in 2008.
We can only imagine the joy she must be feeling after finally seeing her hair start to grow back after all the chemotherapy she had to endure due to her sickness. To be quite honest was a little surprised at this, because I figured Brooklyn would be a little bit more tolerant than it actually is. The Barclays Center probably provided many jobs for people who otherwise did not have one so the value of that should out weigh a hair style.
Of course again, the afro trumps all of that and it again becomes center stage in a very negative way causing one woman to endure constant harassment due to her hair and eventually she was fired.
We still have work to do ladies, you would think something as simple as hair would not cost you your livelihood but it can. We see it everyday and sometimes we take it lightly because it hasn’t happened to us.
There is definitely discrimination in the work place and the argument still remains unresolved about what is considered appropriate for work. We will be watching to see how this turns out, Tiffany might get a huge payday, we just have to watch and see.
From the NY Post:
Bryan said she was first hired by AEG Worldwide in September 2013 and didn’t receive any hair-related reprimands until security supervisor Denise Brown told her last March that she “looked like she stuck her finger in a socket and was electrocuted.”
just sad! Comment below and share your thoughts on this one!
she should come to work looking decent, people get fired for appearance related issues all the time, no o e wants their company represented by someone who looks unkept…..employees face disciplinary action for tattoos, piercings, apparel and so on. This is no different.
There are so many nice styles you can do with natural hair I honestly do believe she doesn’t have to go to work with her hair flying like that all the time
I agree with you. People be using natural as a way to be lazy and not comb their hair.
That sound ridiculous! Do your research on Natural Hair, before you say such uninformed things!
THANK YOU. Fix that crazy looking hair. Not a reason to fire someone, but good grief comb it!!!
she can’t be looking crazy @ work.. scaring customers
I agree she needs to tone it down a bit cause that speaks volumes and its going a bit overboard for any employment….she had to know this though!
That is unacceptable. I wuld understand if she were a cook but no way.
Honestly…. at your job you do have a certain way you should look even at food restaurants you can’t have crazy hair and at my job we can’t even show our piercings or tattoos. There are tons of styles she can pick for natural hair she didn’t have to work with her hair all like that everyday. People can pull the race cars etc but I don’t feel she had a case here.
This is bad news for other naturals tbh. This woman and her refusal to just tie it back/ braid etc will reflect poorly on natural textures as a whole. The haters and the ignorant management teams out there will feel a little vindicated over this.
You can be natural that’s not an excuse for being unkept. Every employee should look neat and presentable at work because as an employee you represent that company.
I’m not sure, what was discussed with her or how she was wearing her hair, but if it was worn as the picture above, if there was consistent and continual discussion of being presentable at the work place, i can somewhat understand the stance. whether you are relaxed or natural, a person must remember, they are a reflection of the workplace and must be presentable at all times if the job requires it.
She could use a head band. There are ways to style your hair if u want to wear it all out
Firing her over hair, not right. A reprimand suspension. She could have AND should have found a salon.
She look crazy lol
Why do she have to tone it down??? An afro is supposed to be big! As long as it’s clean and combed its none of their business.
That’s why she’s out of a job! That is no way professional looking.
It doesn’t look “combed”
Go to africa and see whats natural. Professional just means uptight.
she need to fix her hair.
they probly gave her many warning a head band and trimming would have done the trick smh im sure it say something about grooming when you get a job
It’s her fought not AEG!
In my opinion, I think the employer is right. This has nothing to do with being natural. This is about being presentable. She can wear a fro to work. I did not see anywhere in the story that said she needs to straighten or relax her hair. There’s a difference in waking up then doing absolutely nothing to your main and styling it. To me it looks like she didn’t attempt to do anything on purpose. I think she got her desired outcome…..a lawsuit. My mother is in remission from cancer and is natural. This has nothing to do with her following the rules at work….looking presentable.
Well said!
totally agree
And she will lose her case based on presentation. She had options but chose to neglect her hair
Thank you! People take this natural hair movement too far. Natural doesn’t mean be lazy!!!
Did you read the part where agreed to a headband that they told to put it in a ponytail?
I couldn’t agree more…well said:)
I’m all for natural hair in the workplace but her hair looks very wild & unkempt. Most people,employers included, have seen afro styles that are neat & attractive. Her facial expression in that photo shows an ” I’ll wear my hair any way I please & I’ll sue for discrimination & get some money”. I bet she’s used negative attitudes on the job, the hair just being a part of it, & some of that is also behind her getting fired which is why she’s hollering discrimination. Some people use natural hair as an excuse to look ratchet. All thru my 30 + years teaching career I wore afros,braids, cornrows, & curl defined afros. The black teachers & staff as a whole wore their hair in every style black women wear,including wigs & weaves. Same for women i know who work in the corporate world. No problems at all with employers , but NO ONE, repeat NO ONE, ever ever ever came to work with their hair looking like that photo. It’s ghetto,ratchet & a disgrace to the beauty of black women
You think it’s ok to tell a black woman to tame her hair you and your black that’s crazy!
No one ever tells women with strait hair that it’s unacceptable to wear it out (unless when it comes to health and safety) of any race, the more not going to tame my fro because it makes other uncomfortable and they THINK it’s unkempt which is shocking because it takes me two-three hours to wash mine.
Other people attitudes need to change not OUR natural hair, it’s just anouther way of letting you know your not white enough!!
That’s not true. It’s not about looking white. It’s called maintaining and combing your hair.
No its looking white. White folks have straight fine hair and “supposedly” thats the only professional look people go for. I say rock that natural fro! I wear mine the same way. Security AND office work. No one said boo. ROCK THAT FRO!
There are many naturals who have professional jobs and maintain their hair. She should have been fired.
Every workplace has rules. Putting your hair in a pony tail as a cook is not new. In this case she was not a cook but you need to make yourself presentable. She look like she just goes to work without combing her hair at all. Try going with washing your clothes and see what happens. Any race can try it.
You can comb it out and still look like that
I would have fired too , just because you natural doesn’t mean you don’t comb your hair
Unless it affects her work its discrimination unless everyone was asked the same
With every job there is a description for appearance and a dress code unless you’re self employed. I doubt that she looked like that when she was hired, you can dress and look anyway you want when you’re not on the clock, but be wise enough to follow the companies rules and regulations when it come to dress and appearance.
Style it! Hope the judge throws out the case! She could’ve gotten it braided, high bun with pinned twists! Box braids, twists. She had multiple ways to wear her hair! You can’t be walking around with wild hair! Glad she beat the cancer though!
Why can’t you walk around with wild hair? it’s yours.
If a head band and a trim was ALL she needed she wouldn’t have gotten fired. They didn’t want her to look as black as she already does. She’s a security officer and cancer survivor give the woman a break. I’m merely saying she deserved all $900,000 of her lawsuit.
Presentable is subjective…employment should have so much more emphasis on one’s ability to perform the job’s duties…and so much less judgement regarding appearance….
Not all consumers are so shallow as to feel the need to dictate how a person should LOOK to provide insurance services
Here’s my thing y’all – natural, relaxed, or if your white, your hair still has to be styled and neat. Even white folks gotta run a brush through their hair or it’ll look a mess no matter how straight it is. Sometimes we can rock natural our hair in cute and more socially acceptable ways if we stop trying so hard to make a political statement. Look neat. Keep your job.
And YES where it natural if you like! But do it in a neater way.
Forgive the typos
That is the problem right there. “socially acceptable”. Why do naturals have to wear there hair in a way that makes others comfortable??? smh
she is should of kept it classy. an Afro does not =no class.
Did you miss Chris rocks movie on black hair? It’s good, alot of you need to watch it
She needs to comb her damn hair. Looking crazy.
Look to impress always. Natural does not mean wake up and go. Embrace your hair, natural, relaxed, curly or straight. If we don’t take our natural journey seriously who will?
LOL is all I can say
I have to agree with Sandra, natural doesn’t mean hair should look uncared or disheveled. Natural or not we always need to look presentable and like we have self respect.
No. She is right. Why should she have to “tame” her fro. My old job tried that and failed. White folks and non minorites get away with any old hairstyle. Fros can be messy or neat. It doesn’t matter. I like her fro. Its natural. Did anyone READ the article. She was a SECURITY GUARD NOT COOK!!!
According to the article, the employer didn’t say “cut, straighten, get rid of ur afro, but, rather, she was asked to “tame” her afro. Being natural doesn’t equate to looking unkempt, which to me, she does. She failed to follow a reasonable instruction.
If her hair looked like it does in the photo when she was terminated, then I understand why. Im natural and my hair never looks like that at work. Do a nice professional natural hairstyle and if they still harassed her then its a different story. Otherwise her hair does look very wild and unkempt.
Every work place you go to have policy and procedures and u are agreeing to abide by those standard before you even begin working. So therefore the lawsuit need to be tossed out.
#IJS
I need more info on this, like whether or not there are appearance standards in place, exactly what was said to her, how many warning, etc. You don’t need to use chemicals to tame a fro. There are things she could have done to meet the requirements of her job while still maintaining her hair. If I wore my hair that way (I work in a business setting) and my boss asked me to change it within reason it wouldn’t be discriminatory. I work for a business that requires a certain image that looks professional, to me, her does not fit the professional category. If it were a white women who came in with birds nest hair and the boss asked her to get it under control before interacting with customers it would fine and acceptable. Everything isn’t an attack.
Just because one is natural, it does not mean their hair need to be all over the place & not professional. There is a time and place for behaviors & proper grooming & attire. In a professional environment, ones hair should be groomed regardless of hair texture or race or ethnicity! I am natural (before a natural movement existed) & I know not to go to my work place with an unkempt hair. Nothing wrong with “messy” fro but it needs to be styled. A style messy fro is different from an unstyle one.
I applaud her! Sue the crap outta them. Why should she have to subject her skin and body to chemicals. She is a SECURITY GUARD. IVE SEEN WHITE FOLKS LOOKING WORSE. They don’t get fired. 400lbs guards who cant tuck in their uniforms and she gets fired over NATURAL HAIR. WTF? THATS stupid and wrong. Bet if she put some caustic glue on her scalp and some china made weave they would have been like ok. Weaves and glues aren’t healthy. Why look white?
I totally agree with your point! The style is too BLACK/ETHNIC for them. This matter is so subjective too me! Who is to say what taming looks like? Maybe to her it is styled. How do we know that she did not comb her hair? Many organizations and people in the community at large feel that Black women’s hair is unattrative and nasty. Some people feel that braids are unattrative. Some think many of the hairstyles that black women wear without a relaxer are unprofessional/ethnic/unattrative. Many white organizations with primarily white people find black women with their hairstyles make tnem as a whole unprofessional. Why should she have to trim her afro or wear a head band to make them feel more comfortable/professional? Why should she have to slick her hair down? Were does it end? There are so many organizations were women of color know that they better not think of coming to work with braids/twist/nappy or kinky buns/kinky textured wigs. I feel that when all is said and done, the more a black woman wears her hair in a white manner, the more acceptable you are as a person. Looking presentable means tone your look down and keep it down.
Me personally, I see nothing wrong with her hair. It looks clean & it’s shaped ok. So many of us are brain washed into thinking that everything has to be a certain way. Who’s to say what’s the correct way? Oh Yeah Society. Well f*ck Society. You keep wearing your long busted weaves, tight clothing, big fake a$$es & perfect ‘every fricken hair in place’ styles. AEG needs to pay that girl!!! That is all!!
THANK YOU!!! WELL SAID
Well said my sister friend! She deserves too be financially compensated for this matter. I find that even in 2014, that many Black folks/African Americans are so uncomfortable with seeing others wearing their hair in it’s natural state. Straightened hair makes most people feel more acceptable as an individual.
Im tired of ppl always throwing the race card around or saying someone is being discriminated on when its not the issue. Here is a woman who clearly looks like she woke out of bed and went to work. Regardless if she is natural or not have pride in yourself noy to walk out the house that way. Also in a working place such as hers im sure they have a dress code and if she working with food its just nasty to have your hair flying all over the placr while fixing others food. Pretty soon when a reall issue about race arises ppl will noy pay attention. Its like the boy crying wolf to many times. Also if you do where a fro trim it up to make it look nice noy like a troll doll.
A.troll.doll, omg, perfect visual! Lol
She was a security guard not a cook
I’m sorry but you can’t go to work looking a mess she could have done a lot of different things with her hair that are acceptable and still be natural she could just put it in a bun or ponytail or something her hair does look wild I work in a professional setting and have ever since I’ve been natural and no one has said anything about my hair or the the other naturals I have and currently work with because we look presentable and everyone’s hair ranged from tea to a big fro so there is no excuse if I were her boss I would have fired her too after she has been warned multiple times and clearly not doing anything
I am a natural girl, and that right there is not professional in my opinion. Do you off the job. Or get your own business. Stop trying to prove a point and end up broke and unemployed.
My fro was finger combed. I don’t use brushes or combs.
I’m sorry in the professional world, you have to carry yourself a specific way. You are representing the company that employs you. There isn’t anything wrong with being natural, but being natural doesn’t give you an excuse to roll out of bed and go. Put a headband on or something! She can’t be taken seriously looking like that, and she doesn’t take herself seriously looking like that!
I work for an Agency that fights discrimination, and trust me, sometimes its not the issue presented. Most of the time its the employee’s performance. If she was hired looking like this, why would they hire and then fire her for the hair?
there’s a difference between rockin’ a fro and not combing your damn hair! GTFOH
Afros should not make a person look like they stuck their finger in an electric socket. Afros can even be uneven and still look great as long as it’s neat.
I think if you want to wear your hair exactly how it grows out of your head should be okay and to say it’s not is discrimination
what’s so hard about not looking disheveled in the work enviRonment? keep that look for you on your own time but if im paying you the least you can do is look professional. And its not hard when you have natural hair…. you want natural hair learn to tame it.
its not presentable… she can comb it or something. doesnt matter the race or type of hair it all has to look presentable in a professional work place.
Not being professional because she has a afro is bollocks, professional has nothing to do with how her hair looks it’s about getting the job done.
Also it is a race card and we only play the fucker when it’s been dealt to us, I can see alot of people falling for the “political correctness gone to far” bullshit, not wanting to upset things even though their not being treated equally.
You don’t tell white girls with strait hair to pull it back or braid it when it’s out, my hair is more frizzy after I brush it it’s a afo.
Your falling for social pressure to conform to an unnatural state because of beauty because the media (mostly run by white males) tells you your ugly.
Step away from the creamy crack and take a long look at what is really you and what society wants you to be, no doubt the later always has you coming up short
Work place does not necessarily mean a free democratic environment. They have standards. I am a survivor and I understand about not wanting to use harsh carcinogenic chemicals. Taming does not mean relaxing. Combing the hair makes sense.
Ridiculous.
I would have not even hired her looking like that.
her hair looks like crap and if she had bothered to shape it up and it make it look neat it might have been really pretty.
She has a lawsuit for real defermation of character yeah her hair is messy but her work attire is not a messy she should not have not been fired
One thing to be natural but to look wild is not cool. She could have wore plenty natural styles
She looks a unkept mess so unprofessional!
I’m getting my lawsuit u can kiss on they ass at work but I’m going to fight in what i believe it’s called being judged
Wow
What’s really sad is that black people can’t even see what’s wrong with her being fired because we’ve been so brainwashed into this european standard of what is neat and professional. SMH. ..her hair is unkempt according to what standard? Oh, wait it’s not slick, gelled, or “curly” therefore it is too nappy for their liking huh? LMBO people need to get a grip! Does it stop her from doing her duties? If not, kick rocks!
Just because someone combs and fixes their hair does NOT mean they are “conforming” to the European standard!!! Gimme a break!!! Moisturizing and COMBING your hair is “conforming” to a white standard of beauty?!?!?! Seriously!?!?!?! Even white people have to comb their hair! Get out of here with that nonsense!
For those of you not familiar with security this is a big no no it clearly states well groomed with no startling appearance. Oh and it goes into specifics! Her fro is not neat orwell kept.
Justified.
No one said anything about her hair being nappy. It looks like she got out of bed and went to work. She should be fired.
I wear my hair natural and started with an Afro, but her hair is very unprofessional,and her refusal to tame it or comb she got what she deserved!
To be honest, it had nothing to do with the type of hair a person have but when your hair is too big it can be a distraction …. Her hair isn’t ugly so some ppl need to learn the difference instead of putting it as a discrimination issue
If this is the pic of the perpetrator …. I side with the employer…this is NOT an afro….this is unkept hair
I don’t feel this was a justified firing. Especially with it being perfectly fine until a new person came on board as management. To me, at that point this became a personal preference issue and not a company policy one. The comment of her looking like she got electrocuted is proof in itself of their bias and already negative “opinion” on tgst particular style. Why does she need to compromise? Last I checked commercial after commercial about styling gel for people without our hair to get the desired “bed head” and “messy spike” look. Both of which show the guy always getting the girl because his “messy hair” makes him more attractive. Heck it’s in movies where what you look like matters the most. The fact that any of us are sitting here blaming this woman is wrong and proves many of us have been trained in self hatred. Nothing is wrong with her hair period. The truth is that style stirs up a learned fear. A fear that any individual wearing it will soon start a movement, cause an uproar or intimidate others. It’d be different if her hair smelled, was matted beyond belief and was full of dandruff or lice. At that point and only then should it be considered any type of an “issue”.
That’s not an Afro! That’s someone that doesn’t comb their hair. She knew what she was doing!
She need to that is raggedy!!#groom it
Comb tht shiznit! Frm the pic, tht aint a fro as n a hairstyle.. thts a “lazy, idw do my hair, I can rock the ” natural” look w/o physically doin sumthn to it” type fro
Thank you
Plus I wonder what her hair looked like for the job interview. I bet it wasn’t like this
Just cause you’re natural doesn’t mean wake up and walk out .. Tame that head
Wow that’s a mess (the situation) she shouldn’t have been fired if she wants to wear a natural afro she should be able to its great csomeone’s not embarrassed to show their beautiful black hair because lots of us hide it
She could have had her hair looking decent and presentable for work instead of like she got electrocuted in the middle of a fight. Too many people are trying to run with this discrimination against hair in its natural state foolishness, when really people are going outside of their homes looking raggedy on purpose when there is no excuse for that.
There’s a time and place for everything. At work you represent your company..tighten it up!
I don’t care what anyone says… I LOVE NATURAL HAIR!!! But THIS is just a mess and it’s messy. Just because you have natural hair does not mean natural as in “You woke up like that”, LITERALLY!!! That’s awful looking. There are plenty of natural hair wearers that do rock NATURAL & NEAT HAIRSTYLES. I am at a loss here. Why are people acting like this is presentable??
Hmmm???
Why is this a lawsuit? Wearing you hair natural takes as much if not more upkeep than permed hair. Follow the company rules and have a neat appearance. No ones picking on her she should comb, braid, twist, curl, tuck, roll or whatever is going to make her look presentable.
She looks good
I luv my natural hair but I think her hair needs to look controlled.
its unfair. they wouldnt have fired her if it was strait hair or had a looser curl pattern
I dont think we should hide our natural hair but if we are required to look a certain way on a job that pays us…we need to follow the rules.
She looks like she doesn’t give a F. She could made that natural more pleasant looking.
No she could have did something with it herself. She knew it was wild. People so ready to jump on blue ivy and ready to defend this grown woman, who I am sure had a warning at least from her supervisor to tame her hair and she didn’t, too bad.
There are employment rules & guidelines we all gave to abide by. Some companies do bot allow men to have beards.. they gave to be clean-shaven. It is not about race..it is about representation of that company. She was not asked to straighten or cut. ..only to tame it which basically means to make it presentable. Heck…even Blue Ivy (Beyonce & Jay-Z’s daughter) received national attention because ger hair wasn’t combed)
Comb your hair for the job, and wear it any way you want off the clock…….duh.
I have to agree, not only does she not look professional but with her being a security guard at AEG her hair being out like that is also a hazard to herself if she has to come toe to toe with someone acting crazy in the work place. If she steps in to restrain someone and they get a handful of that hair. they can not only control her movements by controlling her head but can also cause injury to her neck if they really want to hurt her….as a security officer I’m sure there’s some sort of dress and appearance code and professional security for a company like AEG I’m sure is very strict.
It is untamed! A wash and go would have been better or making a high puff! With a cute headband
Just because you’re natural does not mean you go about looking as if you just woke up. She didn’t need to do anything big, but at least make the effort to look decent. That is a hot mess! Most employee manuals state to come to work in a neat and clean matter. Smh
She could do something to it really.
Unprofessional
She should have shaped it up little bit. It’s a bit rough.
Well she knows better than that than to walk out that house with her hair not comb…all the hair gels out there, hair moisturizers, protective hair style you couldve chose for your hair style but you get fired for not taking care of your hair….hope you learned your lesson
that’s dumbest shit i ever heard of why can’t she where a fro that whole point of a fro is for it to take it’s own shape , a fro is not to be tamed what the hell does hair has to do with work ethics anyway. Blacks folks the main one saying she wrong that why we as a race will always be at the bottom of the charts. crabs in a bucket.
exactly!
I wear an Afro but I tame it for work. Get real.
Oooohh no, girl do sumptin to that head!
No case. Hair is a mess!
you wanna go to the office looking like you just smoked a 8 ball of course they fired you hav to be professional I know one time I took kid next door to job interview at ups and he went 24yrs old with a wife beater and jeans and tim boots on you wonder why you didn’t get job and they called you for interview wake up people
Looking closer at the picture her hair really isn’t that wild or untamed. It’s a combed out fro. However, if ur asked to tone it down some why not? Well she made her choice.
She agreed to wear a headband but they wanted her to wear a ponytail.
I would have fired her ass to
If she went to work looking the way she does in the pic then I would fire her to, if she was given multiple warnings and still didn’t comply. You should go to work looking professional, as if you care about your job, no matter what race you are. Some fros would be ok depending on how managed they are. Hers looks like she just woke up and didn’t bother fixing her hair. Clearly her job wasn’t that important to her.
That’s bed hair! What a disgrace
Being natural does not mean look like someone that just got out of the bed. She supposed to style her hair (look neat) and look professional.
At least put it in a ponytail or something there’s no way I would have walked out the house like that.lol…that don’t make no damn seen.
If she worked for me and came to work with her hair looking like that Yes she would be fired!!
Lol at the comments
wow!
Yeah any race you just can’t have your hair all over the place at any job
Baahaha
People take natural to a whole new level, especially this generation. In my generation, we wore the big fros. But remember, how well groomed they were kept? The Jacksons, Sylvers, Al Green, all even Diana Ross. But their hair was neat, & well groom. Natural to a lot of folks in this generation means, without a comb.
From the photo, her hair looks clean. It looks like a stretched twist out. If the employer specifically said “tame”, that seems like a subjective word to me. If they have a dress code that includes hair, then I guess they can dictate what style she wears. If not, leave her alone. I’m very interested in the outcome.
What bothers me a little more is all the negative comments in response to this. Ladies, all it takes is for you to have a cut or style your employer doesn’t care for, and that could be you.
My hair cannot tolerate headbands as it ruins my hairline. At one point, my hair was so short that the only style I could do was a fro just like this. Her hair looks clean and fine to me. I think society needs to broaden its definition of healthy and groomed. The Black community, particularly, needs to be of one voice with this. This is our hair from birth and we are the only race on the planet with our texture of hair. If we don’t fight for its acceptance, then no one will.