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Black female soldiers say new grooming reg is 'racially biased ...
Black female troops accuse Army of banning natural hair styles | The ...
New Army hair style rules 'racist,' petition says | News To Me with ...

Black female soldiers say new grooming reg is 'racially biased ...

Posted: 01 Apr 2014 06:36 AM PDT

Thousands of soldiers and others have signed a White House petition calling for the president to order the Army to reconsider just-released appearance and grooming regulations they contend are "racially biased" against black women.

The update to Army Regulation 670-1 was published Monday , and among the rules are clarifications for Army-appropriate hairstyles. For example, the Army does not allow twists or multiple braids that are bigger than a quarter of an inch in diameter. The reg also bans dreadlocks of any style, and cornrows must be uniform and no bigger than a quarter of an inch.

Twists and dreadlocks have been prohibited since 2005, but the regulation at the time did not clearly define the specific hairstyles, Army spokesman Paul Prince said.

The new AR 670-1 clearly defines the different hairstyles and gives soldiers specific guidance on what's allowed, he said. Leadership training released in mid-March, published before the reg was official, includes photos of a number of unauthorized hairstyles , several of which are popular among black women.

"I've been in the military six years, I've had my hair natural four years, and it's never been out of regulation. It's never interfered with my head gear," said Sgt. Jasmine Jacobs, of the Georgia National Guard, who wears her hair in two twists.

Jacobs, who started the White House petition , said she's "kind of at a loss now with what to do with my hair."

The Army defines "twists" as two distinct strands of hair twisted around one another to create a rope-like appearance.

Jacobs said twists are the go-to style for black female soldiers going to the field because it "makes it easy to take care of in the field," she said.

Her hair is naturally thick and curly, making it impossible to pull into a bun, Jacobs said.

"Most black women, their hair doesn't grow straight down, it grows out," she said. "I'm disappointed to see the Army, rather than inform themselves on how black people wear their hair, they've white-washed it all."

In the White House petition, Jacobs calls on the Army to reconsider changes to AR 670-1.

"Females with natural hair take strides to style their natural hair in a professional manner when necessary; however, changes to AR 670-1 offer little to no options for females with natural hair," she said in her petition.

The changes are "racially biased, and the lack of regard for ethnic hair is apparent," she further states.

Staff Sgt. Mary Johnson voiced similar concerns on Sgt. Maj. of the Army Ray Chandler's Facebook page.

"As far as the twists, that really limits females with curly/kinky hair," she said. "I can't simply pull my hair back due to excessive knotting. I proudly wear twists in a professional manner every day and only took them down on the weekends. It makes it very difficult for ethnic females."

Jacobs said she'll likely wear a wig to her battle assembly because chemically relaxing her hair or putting it up in corn rows is damaging to her hair.

"I talked to my first sergeant, and he said we would [face non-judicial punishment] if we're out of reg," she said. "So I either get a wig or be NJPed, all because of the way my hair grows naturally."

Jacobs said that before these clarifications, black female soldiers had more hairstyle options while maintaining a professional appearance.

"We feel let down," Jacobs said. "I think, at the end of the day, a lot of people don't understand the complexities of natural hair. A lot of people, instead of educating themselves, they think dreadlocks and they think Bob Marley, or they see women with really big Afros and they think that's the only thing we can do with our hair."

Prince said hair grooming standards are "necessary to maintain uniformity within a military population."

"Many hairstyles are acceptable, as long as they are neat and conservative," he said. "In addition, headgear is expected to fit snugly and comfortably, without bulging or distortion from the intended shape of the headgear and without excessive gaps. Unfortunately, some hairstyles do not meet this standard or others listed in AR 670-1."

Black female troops accuse Army of banning natural hair styles | The ...

Posted: 03 Apr 2014 06:59 AM PDT

Black female troops accuse Army of banning natural hair styles

A petition to the White House calling on the U.S. Army to reconsider its grooming policy, which many Black female soldiers are calling biased, has garnered thousands of signatures.

The Army Times reports that of the signatures collected, thousands are from soldiers who are unhappy with the Army's new grooming standards.

At issue are the Army's changes to Army Regulation 670-1, which bans twists and multiple braids larger than a quarter in diameter. Locs are not allowed at all and cornrows are strictly regulated.

According to Army spokesman Paul Prince, locs and twists have always been banned, so the U.S. Army's new guidelines just provide soldiers with guidance.

The regulations also show pictures of banned hairstyles, many of which are of Black women.

"I've been in the military six years, I've had my hair natural four years, and it's never been out of regulation. It's never interfered with my head gear," Sgt. Jasmine Jacobs, of the Georgia National Guard, who wears her hair in two twists, told the Army Times.

Jacobs says because of the new regulations, she's "at a loss" over what to do with her hair. Her sentiment makes sense because the Army's current regulations, by banning both locs and twists, are banning Black women from wearing most natural hairstyles. With these regulations in place, the only natural style available to women of color are a short afro or fade.

"Most Black women, their hair doesn't grow straight down, it grows out," said Jacobs, who started the White House petition. "I'm disappointed to see the Army, rather than inform themselves on how black people wear their hair, they've white-washed it all."

For now, Jacobs says she'll wear a wig because she refuses to relax her hair.

New Army hair style rules 'racist,' petition says | News To Me with ...

Posted: 03 Apr 2014 06:06 AM PDT

9:06 am April 3, 2014, by George Mathis

You can't wear a Mohawk either. (U.S. Army image)

The U.S. Army: Fighting for the freedom since presidents wore wigs. (U.S. Army image)

In North Korea, women are legally restricted to choose from 28 government-approved hairstyles.

Black women in the U.S. Army may have less flexibility according to those who allege new "grooming regulations" are "racially biased."

Army Regulation 670-1, released Monday, specifies what haircuts, tattoos and clothing are acceptable for the 570,000 soldiers currently enlisted.

Men probably consider changes in tattoo policy the most drastic, but it is changes to female fashion that have women's hair in an unapproved twist.

Dreadlocks and twists have been prohibited since 2005, The Army Times reports, but the new regulation specifically bans styles popular with black women.

A soldier from Atlanta, Sgt. Jasmine Jacobs, who wears her hair in two twists, has started a White House petition to get the changes thrown out.

"I've been in the military six years, I've had my hair natural four years, and it's never been out of regulation. It's never interfered with my head gear," she said in The Army Times. "[I am] kind of at a loss now with what to do with my hair."

Almost 10,000 people have signed the petition. A total of 100,000 must sign for a White House response.

A male who has probably has had the same haircut since his mom quit cutting it said the new rules are "necessary to maintain uniformity within a military population."

"Many hairstyles are acceptable, as long as they are neat and conservative," said regulation-spouting Army spokesman Paul Prince.

I'm hoping this gets sorted out quickly. This sort of confusion could give America's enemies a decided advantage on the battlefield or at least the beauty parlor.

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Wednesday, 9 April 2014