POSITION PAPER

ON

PETITION AGANST MALE HAIR DISCRIMINATION

WITHIN

AFI 36-2903 DRESS AND PERSONAL APPEARANCE

1.  You should vote yes to this petition because of the lack of inclusion black people and other minority groups have experienced throughout history. Society as a whole has failed to be inclusive/sensitive to black hairstyles/standards of beauty and unfortunately, the Air Force is a product of this exclusion/bias. According to AFI 36-2903 “Personal Grooming Standards” sub-part 3.1.1. “Hair-male and female. Will be clean, well-groomed, present a professional appearance, allow proper wear of headgear, helmet or chemical mask and conform to safety requirements.” Protective hairstyles such as “Cornrows” (Males), “Locs” (Males) and “Braids” (Males) fall under these descriptions, so why are these protective styles excluded for us males with type 3 and 4 hair? 

a.  Type 3&4 hair is different from all other groups of people in its basic shape and composition. These unique biological components make type 3&4 hair much more fragile and prone to breakage than other hair types. Essential to healthy hair care for this type of hair is the utilization of protective styles.

b.  A protective style is any style that keeps the ends of the hair tucked away and minimizes manipulation. Protective styling gives the ends of hair a break from nasty weather conditions. These styles tuck away the delicate ends and usually group the strands together, which in turn gives them “safety in numbers”

c.  Type 3 hair is usually voluminous with an “S” or “Z” like hair pattern. It can become damaged easily and is highly climate-dependent. Type 4 is usually coiled very tightly. It is often fragile with a very high density. This type of hair shrinks when wet because it has fewer cuticle layers than other hair types causing it to be more susceptible to damage than other hair types.   For example, people who are of Asian or Caucasian descent often have the more layered cuticles, while people who are of African descent have more thinly layered cuticles. This is one of the reasons why Afro-textured hair is so prone to damage despite how coarse each individual strand may feel. This cuticle which is the protective layer is not very thick.

d.  Different weather conditions cause the hair to expand or contract, wearing the fibers of the hair, making it weaker. This leads to damage and often loss of length and/or strength. These protective hairstyles play a vital role in discouraging unwanted tugging, pulling, and manipulation. These styles are an essential part of healthy hair care. Much like sunscreen which is used to protect our skin from the adverse effects of the sun, these protective styles minimize manipulation to those with coarse/kinky strands to promote healthy hair. Also while protecting the hair from harsh weather conditions to prevent hair loss.

2.  Additionally, males who have straighter hair take advantage of the positive social acceptance and lack of “rules” there are surrounding their hair type in the work place. Hairstyles such as Comb Overs, Side Parts, Slick Backs, and “Shags” could be used as an example. While those with hair like me, have no real option of styling and protecting our hair.

3.  Under AFI 36-2903 “Female Hair Standard examples” sub-part 3.1.3.3. States, “Locs, braids, twists, micro-braids, French braids, Dutch braids and cornrows are authorized.” Why are these protective styles authorized for our coarse/kinky haired female counterparts, but unauthorized for us males? These styles were authorized for women because Air Force leaders understood the importance of overall hair health in our diverse culture. February of 2021 the Air Force made improvements to the female grooming standards and soon after Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass stated

a.  … “In addition to the health concerns we have for our Airmen, not all women have the same hair type, and our hair standards should reflect our diverse force.” This is a great statement, so why not make this an even truer statement and apply this to all Airmen?

4.  Please consider signing this culture-changing petition to bring a positively diverse amendment to our Air Force.