Boycotting Six Flags
For the first time ever I have rescinded a blog post. Yesterday I wrote about the summer fun activity of going to a theme park with family and noted a deal available from Walmart to purchase discounted tickets for Six Flags. In the comments, my friend Brooke of Jewelry Rockstar wrote that she is boycotting Six Flags and linked to this article in Essence magazine. Apparently, two women in Maryland were denied employment with Six Flags because their hair is loc'd. If you are not familiar with locs, just check out my hair.
Locs. Although many people have mistaken my hair for braids, my hair is actually "locked" and I cannot simply unbraid my hair. If I want to change the style completely I will have to cut it all off. I have been wearing my hair like this for over ten years and in my personal experience have never been discriminated against because of my choice of hairstyle. In my last full time position I was the head of a top governmental agency, represented Georgia on the federal level and was never questioned about my ability to do my job as a result of my hair style. However, despite my Masters Degree, work experience internationally and domestically, if for some reason I wanted to work at Six Flags, I would be unable to do so because of my hair.
I cannot support an company that has implemented this type of discriminatory policy that will overwhelmingly apply to people that not only wear their hair like I do but are also African American.There are numerous teenagers that wear their hair like I do and a summer position at Six Flags would be perfect. Except, it is not. According to Six Flags
I find the use of the word "dreadlocks" offensive too but that is commentary for another blog post. Ultimately, until policies like this one are challenged these types ofpractices will continue. I sincerely apologize for posting about Six Flags yesterday, I will not be visiting their parks and I encourage you to do the same.
Comments
I can't believe that Six Flags would discriminate so openly like this. I won't be visiting Great Adventure now that you brought this to my attention.
-Bay
That is totally wrong. They should have a case by case basis on that policy if nothing else. If a woman like you walked in seeking employment would they discredit you due to your hair or be happy to have you due to your background? If you have a neat, clean appearance, then I don't think it should matter what your hair style is called. I had locs when I was in college. They were small and tight and often mistaken for braids, I used shampoo made for them and they looked clean and when they started getting loose looking I cut them out. Would they discriminate towards me for that?
Makes you wonder...
I guess if you're running a business and you want to that business to have a certain image, your workers have to embrace the image you're trying to represent. I'm not saying that excuses or makes it right. I'm just saying that this is not an uncommon practice or policy with well known brands. Some companies enforce it and some don't.
Neat and clean hairstyles should be the rule. I work in the medical field and have to have "natural color" hair. But right now it's streaked auburn and blonde. I can't have blue, purple, or turquoise... But most people want their medical professionals to look professional. We have plenty of women with locs and they look clean, professional, well kept. Natural locs are nice too as long as they are kept clean. I have seen some that just made me cringe though. I think 6 flags needs to re-vamp their dress code policy.
you HAVE to be kidding me!!!!
One summer I worked for a very large and popular company in childcare at their resort and was told that they could no longer schedule me for hours because my nose piercing (that most people don't even notice) posed a safety and security hazard. In other words? Not the look they were going for in their ultra-high class establishment, even though the judges, attorneys, and astronauts whose children I cared for in DC during the school year seemed perfectly okay with me.
When will corporations finally no longer be allowed to discriminate based on appearance?
Six Flags? You're not getting my money.
I had a conversation about this with my teen ager just the other day. He likes wearing black nail polish and black clothes, and would love it if I let him leave the house with tons of black eye liner all over his face. What I told him was that despite who you are, how you represent yourself to the world is how people will see you. If you look like a punk, you're going to be treated like one. It's not always fair, but it's reality.
The majority of people who see locs will think of people like my friend I mentioned earlier. They will see them as scary, unreliable, drugies, and won't want their children around them, despite how they might actually be a good person and none of those things. You can't make a second first impression. The park is trying to keep their "first impressions" good. While that may not be fair, it's still reality.
Clearly your hair is neat and you have a smile that lights up the room! While six flags has the right to set whatever standards they want to for their employees they should take a step back and reconsider this requirement.
Thanks for the great blog!