25 JUL | Update on Kim (Hair Discrimination in the Military)Posted: July 25th, 2008By: Treasured Locks |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Late last year we reported on the discrimination being practiced by the Air Force against a Black woman wearing her hair in neat cornrows that in our opinion and the opinion of many others were not against military regulations. You can read that story here: Hair Discrimination in the Military.   The cornrows were professional in appearance and did not interfere with her duties. Many of you offered words of support, signed petitions and some went as far as to offer legal advice. People keep asking us “What ever happened to Kim?” We hadn’t heard from her in a while. So, we wrote to her and got an update. Unfortunately, it’s not good news.
The update is that Kim was forced to cut her hair. She took it as far as she could but was almost charged with article 15 (nonjudicial punishment) which could have led to her receiving a dishonorable discharge. Due to military regulations, as an active duty Airman, Kim cannot say too much about this. But, she has told us that she would like to thank everyone who offered words of encouragement and help. And, we want to ask everyone to keep pressure on the military to amend these regulations that are discriminatory against women with natural Black hair. The regulations leave women who want to wear their hair with very few choices and choices that are unappealing to a lot of women. There is no good reason to ban neatly groomed, locked hair and doing so creates undue hardship on women who refuse to put chemicals in their hair and do not want to chop it off.
July 30th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I don’t know about her but I was in the Navy and a lot of African American women on base wore their in neat cornrows. we had our hair like that at boot camp and when we arrived at station. We could not wear designs in them but rather wear them strait back and the also they had to be strait back and not bigger than 1/4 in wide and 2 in in bulk. and that was military wide regs not just Navy. So I do not know how she was wearing hers at all. I can only talk about me. the only time I had trouble was when I first cut my hair off but since I had not shaved it off there was nothing they could do about it. but the funny thing is a lot of African American women in the military were their hair in cornrows while working and this is the first time I herd of it being a problem. but I am new to this sight.
July 30th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I am sad over Kim cutting out her locks. I am in the Army (an officer) and I have dreadlock extensions. I have wanted them for decades but to start them from scratch is not an option for me. The first thing people said to me when I had them put in was “is that legal”? My response was “no”…and I kept on walking. I have seen many Soldiers with gorgeous well kept locks and they are left the heck alone. When a Soldier is harassed over her hair it is strictly a power trip by the harasser. I have never seen a Soldier unable to wear her headgear or her gas mask due to her dreadlocks. I have seen braid extensions with way too much hair to properly wear their headgear though, but that is within the regulation. Doesn’t make sense. Kim, I say get Sisterlocks next time. They are very small in diameter and easier to camouflage. Oh yeah, if your commander was a female, she was probably a lesbian. I wouldn’t be surprised if the made a pass at you and you rejected her so she made you cut your hair. Don’t laugh people, I have been in 21 1/2 years. Seen it happen. If you are gay, don’t be offended by my statement. The same crap happens on the other side. Just tired of the nonsense that has nothing to do with Soldiering.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
I don’t see this as a case of discrimination. One of the major principles of military service is conformity. From what I read of Kim’s case, her hairstyle was a personal choice—not related to a health issue, religious affiliation, etc. If the military made an exception for her based soley on her “personal choice” it would open the floodgates for all sorts of requests that might not fit with the military’s “philosophy” of uniformity within the ranks. Is it fair? No. But unfortunately it’s one of the “freedoms” you give up when you enlist.
July 31st, 2008 at 8:10 am
I am not a black women,but I tell you this, I think black womens hair is beautiful in corn rolls, I have a black grandaughter, who we think is beautiful any way she has her hair and love her so much…..I pray they change there minds about this too! thanks,barb
July 31st, 2008 at 7:40 pm
I know what she’s goin’ through. I was in the Army from 2000 to 2003. I fought for my hairstyle throughout my military career. I change my hair constantly, mainly w/ the use of weave now because my hair is natural. When I had my locs during basic I was forced to cut them before I graduated. I figured fine I’ll do it because I can always grow them back. I did grow my locs back the next year but my hair became damaged from wearing a kevlar in the heat during a mission, (FTX-BASICALLY CAMPIN’ OUTSIDE AND TRAINING) in the middle of summer here in GA. So I started over. I decided to loc my hair again, (this would actually be the 4th time) in 2003. I was told that it was against regulations and blah blah blah. I told them that I didn’t care, it’s not a trend especially seein’ that my ancestors wore the same hairstyle and that I wasn’t choppin’ my hair off for them nor puttin’ a perm in it. They threatened to give me an article 15 and demoting me. Did I cut it? nope. I literally told a few officers and nco’s to go to hell and refused to cut my hair. They realized that I wasn’t about to follow their so called regulations and left me alone. Now I’m completely done w/ the military and rockin’ a ‘fro. In a few days I will be gettin’ locs once again. W/in the military regulations there are always loops w/in loops to get around something. I’m sorry to hear that she had to cut her hair but if she would’ve did some more research, she would’ve found the loop.
August 22nd, 2008 at 5:18 am
I am an African American woman who cut all my hair bald about a month and a half ago, due to tired of relaxers damaging and causing my hair to fall out. These relaxers are very harsh and damaging to black hair, despair this so many African American women still choose to relax or perm their hair. I was listenig to a black radio station one morning and the host stated that he had read an article that some autopsies that had been performed on some black women revealed that the relaxer that was used on their hair was found to cause some type of fungus under the scalp, after hearing this I decided to cut all my hair and is now wearing clip on weave extentions awaiting my hair to grow back so I can get extention twist, my goal is to eventually grow my natural hair into twist locks and wear it. I also think that the military should not interfer with black women wearing cornrows or any sort of braids if this is not interfering with their job performance. We as black women should be allowed to be who we are when it comes to ours hair, just as any other race of women are allowed to be who they are in regards to their hair. Black women has very few managing and styling options when it comes to wearing their hair natural. So I say we got to keep on voicing our opinion on these issue.
September 12th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
I am leaving for army boot camp this month and I plan to put braids in my hair and I am not going to take it out. I agree that women say that to women just because they are power tripping and it has nothing to do with fulfilling one’s duties.
December 19th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
The military is about conformity.. And that’s why I never had ANY interest in joining the military. Seems their conformity is always against anything ‘ethnic’.. That’s how or government works.