The Braided Uproar: A Defense of My Sister's Hair and a Contemporary Indictment of Rogers v. American Airlines

Authors

Michelle L. Turner, University of Missouri School of Law

Abstract

The article examines the discriminatory impact of employer-mandated grooming policies, particularly those prohibiting braided hairstyles, on Black women, using the case of Renee Rogers v. American Airlines as a focal point. It critiques the court's dismissal of Rogers' claims, arguing that such policies reflect systemic racism and sexism embedded in White beauty norms. The author advocates for legal reforms, including amending Title VII to recognize intersecting race and gender discrimination, and adopting a pluralist approach to cultural expression in the workplace.

Disciplines

Civil Rights and Discrimination | Law | Law and Gender | Law and Race | Law and Society

Recommended Citation

Michelle L. Turner, The Braided Uproar: A Defense of My Sister's Hair and a Contemporary Indictment of Rogers v. American Airlines, 7 Cardozo J. Equal Rts. & Soc. Just. 115 (2001).
Available at: https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cardozoersj/vol7/iss2/2