Satanic Nails and Afro Tales

This is not an issue of style — it's bias against culture, ethnicity, and gender

This week’s Scarlet Letter comes from a woman who experienced targeting based on her style and natural hair. Targeting based on things like natural hair is wildly inappropriate, and is thinly-veiled racism. A long history of policing women’s bodies — especially the bodies of women of color — exists in the workplace. This is unacceptable. Today’s writer tells us her story, in her own words:

I have worked at this privately owned, 85 person downtown sound equipment manufacturing company for almost 3 years. I am the youngest, African American, female with a desk job in the whole company. There is only one other and she is my direct supervisor, Shukrea. The CEO and VP are both older white men and they constantly make comments about my appearance.

My coworker Ashley tells me I have a strong case for a hostile work environment because I stay at my desk all day, not going out of my way to interact with anyone and whenever one of them come in our area they do something to embarrass me or make me feel badly about myself.

I have actually started going to counseling about this matter. Just yesterday Scott walked up to my desk yelling

“WOOOOOW those are some satanic nails. So long. Who are you? Wolverine?”

pointing at my nails which I have worn this way for 2 months now.

Tom walked up to my desk when I wore my hair in a natural Afro and yelled “WOAH you gotta warn me if you’re going to wear your hair like that. I wasn’t expecting all that. [Co-worker] I know will have her short red hair but you I don’t expect that.”

[Co-worker] came out of her office and rolled her eyes at him but said nothing. That’s how loud he was.

There are other instances and [Co-worker] did email Scott after he yelled at me in a meeting for no reason and he just ignored her message.

I constantly walk on eggshells worrying about what they will say about me and trying to not react so that I don’t get in trouble for being an “angry, black woman”. I use to come home from work constantly crying but now I’m just trying to keep my head down until my wedding so we can move away from all this.

While there may be situations in workplaces where we discuss our style — complimenting shoe choices, discussing casual Friday, there are comments that are clearly meant to single out people of diversity.

• Inappropriate Comments: The highly inappropriate comments included in this story are representative of so many stories we hear. Inevitably, commentators defend themselves by saying “I didn’t mention race! I was talking about her hair/nails/dress/music.” The basic truth is that these issues are directly related to race, background, and ethnicity.
• Public Comments: Inappropriate workplace comments are often (intentionally) public. It serves two purposes — 1. If you say it loudly, and no one says anything to refute you — then your statement is implicitly normalized. 2. Public comments serve to humiliate your target, and when no one says anything, the target feels doubly humiliated and isolated.
• Stereotyping: Today’s writer expresses a fear of being seen as an “angry black woman.” It is often that case that people of diversity who stand up for themselves are branding as something negative. Rather than being “assertive” we are “angry”, “emotional”, “controlling”, or “hostile.”
• Refusing to Respond: Our writer’s coworker communicates her displeasure very simply, and even works to defend our writer. Unfortunately, she is met with not even retaliation, but indifference. The managers here see issues of equality and diversity as non-existent. The failure to respond exerts a different kind of abuse, communicating—“ ”this is so unimportant, I don’t even need to acknowledge it.”

The unfortunate thing is that issues of workplace harassment are very often viewed as so unimportant that they receive no acknowledgment. The blatant hostility our writer experienced is just the tip of the iceberg. How likely is it that she will be able to argue for increased wages in this position? Move up in the company? Do we honestly believe she has a chance of being a c-suite executive here?

The truth is that overt comments like this are one thing, day-to-day life, and long term success are clearly not attainable. We must do better. Stopping the comments is just the beginning, leveling the playing field must come next.

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Disclaimer:

Enlightened Solutions has not verified the accuracy of these stories. All stories are submitted anonymously and are published with the intent of allowing people to speak about their workplace situations without identifying information.