So I just started at this ICU floor. Been here for around 6months. My hair hasn't changed the whole time I've been here. I regularly go to the barbershop, shower, take care of myself...always look presentable. Manager has been dropping hints to get a haircut the past couple weeks. I thought she was just joking. Then she pulls me into her office yesterday and tells me how disappointed she is in me for not taking her requests seriously. What do I do? Shave my head? I don't want to lose my job. Is this something I can get fired for?
I would just pull them into a bun while at work. If they aren't long enough to wrap around into a bun, then invest in a hair net to place the pony tail in. You don't have to put your whole head in a hair net, just secure the ends so that there is no way hair can fall out.
Then, go to your manager, tell you are uncomfortable cutting your natural hair, and ask her if this is an acceptable compromise.
So is your profile picture your actual hair? Dreadlocks can look cool but if I am not mistaken they are held together by grease and dirt and the hair's natural oils? They may not be sanitary.
You are mistaken. If you have naturally kinky hair your locs are formed by your hair holding onto itself, not dirt and grease. And to add, the term DREADlock was coined by europeans who visited the islands because they thought the native's hair looked dreadful. Many find the term insulting (myself included).
Somehow I feel like your manager is exposing her own underlying biases rather than simply trying to adhere to company policy (which I'm sure doesn't have a section dedicated to dreadlocks). If a chunk of a curly-haired woman's hair was found on the floor, I wonder if there would be so many "rumors" and other talk about it. Many people's decision to grow dreadlocks are deeply based on ethnic, cultural and/or religious beliefs and primarily within African-American and Caribbean communities. Unfortunately, I don't expect everyone to understand how incredibly insensitive, offensive and simple-minded it can appear when someone just flippantly tells another to cut them off. I'm happy to see that someone corrected the suggestion that dreadlocks are made with dirt or are otherwise un-hygienic. To the OP, I hope you've found a solution that will work for your manager but without compromising your own self too much in the process.
I think your new style looks cute, says an older white woman (me).
The old style looked cute too though. It was medium length, not outlandish. I love Richard Sherman, but hate his hairstyle. I dislike Clay Matthews long, blond locks as well.
I agree that the issue may not be settled, and that a surgical cap could a perfect answer. I hope your manager doesn't take unfair advantage of your desire to get past this.
Black folks' natural hair is a HUGE issue, particularly black women's. We had a young blood from Cameroon as an RT on our unot years ago. Dude was soooo self-conscious of his "blackness" in a very white area. He too, drastically shaved off about 5" locs to stand out less. I was more bummed about him shaving than he was, haha. I wished he hadn't left and instead met a very good friend of mine who also is from Cameroon, coincidently. The new dude could have really shown young blood how to hold his head high and be proud of being "blurple". I'm rambling, haha.
Be smart, be reasonable, but don't let this manager make you their punk.
This young man's dreads appear well kempt. I'm not sorry but the remarks about "greasy,dirty, falling,out and nonprofessional" sound like code for racism. This surely is the very definition of nonprofessional.
I love your new hair cut... but I love the way you wore it before too....
I feel bad that you were bullied into a change that you did not want, even if it looks good.
Did you check your policy manual? I ask because although it the short run cutting your hair seemed easier then pressing the issue with your manager, it may not be over. I have a really hard time believing it was the length of your hair that was causing her hissing fits.
You willingness to change your look and avoid confrontation shows a kindness of heart and greatness of spirit. I really hope your co-workers see a man that is willing to compromise, so he can get on with his job of taking care of patients.
I love the scrub cap idea.. lot of our respiratory therapists with longer hair and braids/dreads wear them. They look sharp with scrubs and cost like ten to fifteen bucks.
Don't change yourself to blend in. I think you'll regret it down the road.
& By the way... your manager sucks. She/he went about it the wrong way. Making little remarks about a haircut without actually telling you what her deal was is unprofessional.
Grrr, this reminds me of when the military put out new policies for what was considered "professional" hairstyles. Pretty much every women's natural black hairstyle was on the banned list.
Properly maintained dreads that are kept out of the way are perfectly professional. I have worked with doctors, APRNs, nurses, techs, MAs etc with all varieties of hairstyles. Keep it clean and out of the way and you are good to go.
When I was in CNM school, I worked with a nurse who had loooooooooong thick dreadlocks, down to the small of her back. Gave me a headache just looking at her (I had looong white girl dreadlocks when I was in my teens and twenties). She had to stuff them down the back of her scrub shirt and wear two strategically placed bonnets to get it all covered up in the OR. And I've worked with plenty of beardly guys in and out of the hospital. Again, clean and neat and you are good. As long as you don't mind wearing those adorkable beard covers when necessary.
NICUmiiki, DNP, NP
1,775 Posts
I would just pull them into a bun while at work. If they aren't long enough to wrap around into a bun, then invest in a hair net to place the pony tail in. You don't have to put your whole head in a hair net, just secure the ends so that there is no way hair can fall out.
Then, go to your manager, tell you are uncomfortable cutting your natural hair, and ask her if this is an acceptable compromise.