13 DEC | Update on KimPosted: December 13th, 2007By: Treasured Locks |
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We know many of you are waiting for an update on Kim. Kim is an Airman whose story we recently reported to you. As you know, Kim is being pressured by the Air Force to remove her locks which they have chosen to deem “dreadlocks’. Dreadlocks are banned by Air Force regulations. In our opinion, Kim’s commanders have missed the points that a.) dreadlocks is too loose of a term to use in the regulation and b.) by most standards of what a “dreadlock” is, Kim’s hair would not violate the regulation. Dreadlocks are typically free formed locks. Kim’s hair is twisted and has locked. While Kim’s hair is locked, she keeps it in neat cornrows (which are specifically allowed in the regulation). For all practical purposes, Kim’s hair is in cornrows. Her hair is neat and professional and does not interfer with her donning any of her safety equipment. It’s well within regulations in every way possible, except that the commanders have chosen to lump all locked hair into the category of “dreadlocks”. We believe the people who wrote the regulation had something else in mind when they used that term.
We wish we could report Congress has stepped in, the regulation has been changed and Kim and others who are being pressured to change their natural hair have been vindicated. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Kim’s mother reports that Kim has gone to the JAG (legal system in the Air Force) but they cannot help her because they can only get involved if the commander’s decision was not legal. Kim has begun the process of taking out her locks and is still being pressured to do so.
Update on the Update December 14th:
Kim has stopped taking down her locks and is now in communication with an attorney that reached out to her through Treasured Locks. The uniform board has been reading our blog and your comments. We can hope and pray that they will reconsider. Kim feels rejuvenated and again expresses her gratitude for your support.
Kim’s mother has said Kim is aware of the support you have given her and appreciates the emails and the signing of the petition. We have had attorneys volunteer their services and been contacted by at least one reporter. We will continue to track Kim’s situation and report back to you as we can. Meanwhile, do not stop the campaign to get the word out on this. For more details and to see how you can help, read the blog post here: Help Needed- Hair Discrimination In the Military
December 14th, 2007 at 10:14 am
It it unfortunate that this issue has progressed to this level. I am concerned that this may set a trend in attacks on people of color’s choice of hair styles. Like your article says her hair has not been a detriment to her job function nor has it caused a saftey issue. I hope the attorneys who are helping her have taken these points into consideration. I only wish there was something more I can do to help her. In her changing her hair style I just pray it will not affect her sense of who she is nor cause damage to her self-esteem. Please let her know that she has our continued support and she will gather strength from this experience.
December 14th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Hello,
I just wanted to reply to this becuase this is not an isolated case. I cut all of my long permed hair off because the chemicals are trully killing us. Has anyone stopped to read the chemical list on the back of the perm boxes and actually looked the terms up in the dictionary. We, as black women are really killing ourselves by putting these chemicals in our hair that penetrate our scalp and the first organ these chemicals reach is our brain. This stuff travels throughout our whole bodies. You really have to ask yourself is it worth it. Chemically processing our hair is not natural, our bodies are not designed to intake all that crap in name of making ourselves look good with straight hair. I started growing my locks and when they reached about the back of my neck, my company changed our dress code to include that wearing DREADlocks are unacceptable, they also stated that wearing extreme color in your hair is unacceptable. Myself and another sister felt as if we were targeted becuase she wears her hair in a natural and I could not believe they changed our manual. As black mem and women, wearing your hair in locks is natural. If you stopped combing your hair and let it go naturally, your hair turns itself naturally. It’s our outer DNA, it’s coily or spirals. This is in the natural order. When you perm your hair, you take it out of it’s natural order. Black men and women who wear there hair in natural locked or cornrowed styles are only wearing there hair as it was naturally intended to be. Major corporations and small ones alike do not understand at all. For most companies feel that those particular styles are threating to them and unprofessional so they make they ban them. One question, If a person who has naturally dark hair who colors the hair to a blonde or red color, is that an extreme change in color? I am beside myself we really have double standards that exist and it very upsetting. Please stay strong, we have to take a stand and when I grow my locks back next year, if my company fires me then I’ll just have to go…..
December 14th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Man i really do feel for Kim. I’m also in the military. My hair was original permed when i joined but now I’m all natural because it was hard to maintain processed hair especially when you are constantly doing physical training, going out to the field, and are subject to work outdoors in all sorts of weather. I started loosing my hair. Being natural and keeping the chemicals away gave my hair a knew beginning. All i have to do is keep it moisturized. By being natural my hair can endure all types of activities. Kims hair is neat, chemical free and sturdy. i bet she can go through some hard core training and still come out looking decent rather than those whose hair be flying everywhere! But i don’t too much blame the military though because its those that don’t keep a neat appearance that put people like Kim in the predicament she’s in now. Thats what why the term dreadlocks seems so rugged. This is gonna be a tough case to fight. Kim, all i can say is pray and leave it to God. Let him fix the situation. Whatever the outcome is continue to walk with your head up my beautiful sister with or without locks.
December 14th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
This a growing concern and more people need to make a stand.
When I lived in Las Vegas 13yrs ago, I interviwed for a position in a casino When I interviewed, I was told that when I am called back to take my workers ID picture that I could not have braids in my hair. I had heard this was the policy at this casino. The rule was also stated in their handbook. I explained that I would need a few days notice to take the braids out and have my hair “done”. Well, I was called back, to come in that afternoon-needless to say-braids still in – I went and was told “oh..no! you can’t wear braids here. I explained my pridacament. This caused a big problem – they went so far as calling the gaming commision to make sure that as a “free will” state that I had no recourse.
I took them out and began work. Well, the following yr I became pregnant with my 1st child. During my last trimester (my husband was overseas – Airforce) I could not do my own hair anymore and was quite fatigued. As is very common amongst African American women – I braided my hair, I knew that I could not be fired while I was pregnant. I heard many managers and Directors of the opposite persuasion make comments like, “she must be trying to get fired” and “what’s wrong with her, doesn’t she know he will fire her”.
Well, “he” was the owner of the casino (German descent I believe)he made the policy. What offended me the most was the fact that 85% of employees were “black”. The backbone of his small empire, yet he had no liking for blacks – but we were “good workers”.
Suffice to say, I no longer live there. I moved to Maryland and have been wearing my “locs” for a little over 2 yrs and I love what God has given me.
So, my brothers and sisters let’s fight for what we believe but fight the right way – as Kim is doing.
December 17th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
I have been in the military going on 18 years. Its unfortunate that our regulations are written as if all can apply to every ‘type’ of service member. For women of color, specifically black women, in order to get our hair to behave as the regulation deems we may choose to relax or press it so it has that ‘blown in the wind effect’. I have learned over the years not to tolerate commands that ‘attack’ me with the regulation but in turn educate them on the fault of their regulation. Example the army regulation states that the hair (females) is not to be dyed an unnatural hair color. Therefore some of my sista’s have dyed their hair blonde. Yes the commands chose to express ‘it has to be a natural color for your skin tone’. This exposed a wonderful educational opportunity….blonde is not a natural color for all whites no more then BLACK is a natural color for us. Most of our hair is dark brown. The point i am trying to make is i haven’t read the Air Force regulation (i am army) but our regulation also states that you can not wear dreadlocks, its something new that has been added. Kim should take this opportunity not to ‘fall into the regulatory standards’ but to educate the command on the different types of locks. It was in the 1990’s i had the opportunity to educate my command that Bo Derek did not introduce cornrows but it has been MY CULTURES hair style for years Bo Derek didn’t make it famous anymore then Angela Jolie made full lips famous. Kim don’t faulter into misunderstanding ignorance for anything but that however it is not intentional. Most black women are just now becoming proud of their natural beauty and you have to expect for the change (in us loving us as we are) to startly and perhaps scar some that are more familiar with a weave, press, or relaxer.
January 3rd, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I am currently in the Air Force, and also have locks. I am trying to get in contact with any females that have (or use to have) locks (i.e African locks, sista locks, twist locks,etc)that are military. It doesn’t matter the branch of service as long as they have permanent locks other than braids.
I am trying to organize as a group to the Air Force Uniform Board. Myself and Kim are not the only ones that are having this problem. I know of a few women that have been forced to shave their heads after addressing this issue individually.
If you are military and are not afraid to voice yourself please contact me at philly_25st@hotmail.com
Thank you in advance.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
This is part of the ignorance of white America concerning Black people’s ethnicity. I believe it is willful on their part. Black women especially, need to come together and support each other especially on this issue of hair. It is our birthright given to us by our Creator to wear our hair naturally as it grows just like any other race of people on this planet. Why should we be deprived of this right. Treatment such as this is in actually abuse disguised as “company policy” and it is being directed at Black Americans. I am extremely proud of Kim and other Black women who continue to stand their ground because if we stand together we will never fall.
November 16th, 2008 at 3:29 am
Is this happening in the Army as well?