Louisiana TV Reporter Allegedly Fired For Responding To Facebook Rant About Her Natural Hair?

By Tenisha Mercer

KTBS Meteorologist Rhonda Lee fired for responding to a post about her natural hair

A story about a Lousiana meteorologist who was fired for allegedly responding to a Facebook comment about her natural hair is bringing the issue of natural hair in the workplace to the forefront again.

Rhonda Lee worked at KTBS,  an ABC affilliate in Shreveport.

The Rant About Natural Hair

An Oct. 1 Facebook post questioned if Lee should wear her short TWA, and suggested she put on a wig or grow more hair. It was allegedly written by a viewer identifed as Emmitt Vascocu:

“the black lady that does the news is a very nice lady.the only thing is she needs to wear a wig or grow some more hair. im not sure if she is a cancer patient. but still its not something myself that i think looks good on tv. what about letting someone a male have waist long hair do the news.what about that (cq).”

 How Lee Responded

This was Lee's response: “Hello Emmitt–I am the ‘black lady’ to which you are referring. I’m sorry you don’t like my ethnic hair. And no I don’t have cancer. I’m a non-smoking, 5’3, 121 lbs, 25 mile a week running, 37.5 year old woman, and I’m in perfectly healthy physical condition.


“I am very proud of my African-American ancestry which includes my hair. For your edification: traditionally our hair doesn’t grow downward. It grows upward. Many Black women use strong straightening agents in order to achieve a more European grade of hair and that is their choice. However in my case I don’t find it necessary. I’m very proud of who I am and the standard of beauty I display. Women come in all shapes, sizes, nationalities, and levels of beauty. Showing little girls that being comfortable in the skin and HAIR God gave me is my contribution to society. Little girls (and boys for that matter) need to see that what you look like isn’t a reason to not achieve their goals.


“Conforming to one standard isn’t what being American is about and I hope you can embrace that.


“Thank you for your comment and have a great weekend and thank for watching.”

KTBS Fires Lee


KTBS alleges that Lee's response was a violation of company procedure.

This is what KTBS News Director Randy Bain said about the comment on Facebook:

“If harsh viewer comments are posted on the station’s official website, there is a specific procedure to follow. Ms. Rhonda Lee was let go for repeatedly violating that procedure after being warned multiple times of the consequences if her behavior continued.”

Lee claims she "has yet to see " a policy or procedure, but the station claims it sent an email to staff on Aug. 30 about the policy.

"When we see complaints from viewers, it’s best not to respond at all. … If you choose to respond to these complaints, there is only one proper response: Provide them with [redacted name] contact information, and tell them he would be glad to speak with them about their concerns. Once again, this is the only proper response."
 

Lee Says KTBS Ignored the Comment


Lee claimed she felt the need to respond because “the station didn’t do anything” after the comment was on the station's Facebook page for six days.

“Racial instances, racial comments can be very sensitive and if they’re allowed to just sit there, to me it’s almost condoning harsh comments like that,” Lee told CNN.

CNN's O'Brien said the conversation could have led to a conversation about why natural hair is scary to some, but Lee said she wanted to educate.

I feel like I was punished for defending myself; whereas other people are given platforms, I was given a pink slip instead. I feel that a lot of times, and particularly in the deep South, that racial issues can be scary, they can be very touchy and, as my former employer saw it, as controversial. … You may have the policy but I also feel there’s a responsibility to educate viewers and if that opportunity comes up, then grab it, take hold of it, embrace it, and use it as a platform for helping repair relations within our community. And I really feel that hiding is doing more of a disservice than actually helping to educate the viewing population when you have the opportunity.
 

Some news anchors have had different experiences, with at least one TV news anchor getting nothing but positive reviews about her natural hair. And recently, Wisconsin TV anchor Jennifer Livingston made national news after she responded on-air to a viewer who made derogatory comments about her weight on Facebook.

It's interesting to note that Livingston became a cause celebre for online bullying among adults. I see it no differently with Lee: This viewer made a bullying comment about her hair. The difference was that Lee's station did not back her up and, instead, fired her. An educational moment was clearly missed.


 My Thoughts

As a former journalist, I can say that TV news reporters are particularly challenged by wearing their natural hair. Not only are hairstyles strictly regulated -- even spelled out in contracts -- with some stations, those journalists have the added pressure of ratings and whether viewers will like their hair. Superficial, I know, but very true.

The issue, IMO, becomes was this really about natural hair and does a journalist have a right to respond to an attack on their heritage? If the station fabricated a company statement about responding to Facebook, this case just got national attention and Lee is probably going to walk away with a healthy settlement and possibly a new job after all this national media attention.

It's easy for blogs to say this journalist was fired for wearing her natural hair, but to me, it seems that she was fired for responding to a post about her natural hair. There is a big difference and the question becomes did she violate station policy?

What This Means For Natural Hair In Corporate America

I found what Lee told CNN's O'Brien about her natural TWA particularly interesting:


“I even had a news director once say that my hair was too aggressive for Sacramento,” Lee told CNN's Soledad O'Brien, and said her natural hair has led to her not getting interviews.

It also shines a brighter spotlight, unfortunately, for women who are afraid to wear their natural hair at work, who see this story and think, "See, THIS is why I can't wear my natural hair."

What do you think?

Talking Natural Hair With My New Boss

By Tenisha Mercer


Natural hair at work

New job. Fortune 500 global corporation. So, you know I do me -- walked up in there with my curls on display. The first day, I wore a pinned up style (wore same style on the interview), but then I gradually began wearing curly fros and pony tails.

I do this on purpose, for a few reasons. I'd already known that I'd straighten my hair soon, as the weather cooled off. But I purposely didn't do it my first day on the job for a few reasons:

My natural curly hair is the "real" me. I'd already gotten the job, but I purposely wear my hair in its natural state the first few weeks Not that I have anything against straight hair, but I just believe that, once you land the job, this is who I am. And I don't make any apologies for it.

So, week 3, I debuted my Dominican blowout. My boss, who is a Black woman with relaxed hair, immediately said:

Her: You straightened your hair!

Me: Yup, I let the Dominicans blow it out. They beat my curls into submission with the blow dryer.

Natural Hair ... With Your Boss

Later that day, she came over and we had a 15 minute discussion about, of all things, hair.

Funny enough, I knew that we'd one day chat about hair.

Her: So, tell me more about the Dominican blowout? Is it good for the hair?

Me: It depends.

And that led into a long discussion about natural hair, about how she goes to a largely natural salon, \(she has shoulder length relaxed hair), and whether the Dominican blowout is healthy. The convo ended up going all over the place, about  how she moved from the Midwest to ATL a few years ago and how there are so many naturals here.

I didn't want to overwhelm her, but I told her a little bit about my hair journey (I was a press and curl/flat iron girl who wore straight hair exclusively with the exception of a curly ponytail betweetn pressing from 1995-2006), and how my daughters wear their hair blowed out, but are still natural (at least for now), and how I love the Dominican blowouts.

We took it WAAAY back. We talked about how relaxers were a rite of passage for most Black women when we grew up. She said she understands how natural hair is good for health reasons and healthier hair, and how she didn't know if relaxers were an option for her growing up because of sports.

And then she even mentioned a few colleagues who have also gone natural, either through transitioning or a big chop. She knew quite a bit about natural hair, but I sensed that she's not ready to make the natural leap yet.

Why My Boss is Not Quite Ready To Make the Natural Leap

She works out (I told her I do, too) and didn't feel that her hair could take it without a relaxer. She also said that relaxed hair only means straight hair; there aren't as many options if you have natural hair, which can be worn straight or curly (I wholeheartedly agreed!)

I told her that you have to do what's right for your hair, but that many naturals are able to work out with their natural hair. She said the dreaded "But she has a nice grade of hair," when referring to someone who  went natural. I didn't correct her. And she ended the convo with how hair is a "chore," whether straight or natural. I'd told her earlier that you have to maintain whether it's straight or natural.

Thinking "natural" is a process. And it doesn't come overnight. I appreciated her being candid. At least she was receptive. That was all I hoped for. I'll work on the natural hair maintenance thing (I wanted to tell her that our hair is easier to maintain with the right products and techniques), and ways that she can still be natural and work out.

We'll get there, one day. Little bits of info at a time.

Now, umm, is this gonna be on my review? LOL!

HairTroversy: When Do You Speak Up?

By Tenisha Mercer

Natural hair conversations at work -- Source

New job.

As my usual new job policy, I wore my hair curly. (For me, this is just what I usually always do, even though I'm due for flat ironing.)

While at lunch with some new co-workers -- a white woman (let's call her Becki) and a black man (let's call him Byron) -- the topic of a senior executive's natural hair came up. This executive is now relaxed -- and her relaxed hair isn't all that to write home about.

Natural Hair Scenario

Here's how the convo went: 

Becki: I'm so glad that she did something with her hair.
Me: What do you mean?
Byron: It was a mess for a while there.
Becki: It looked crazy; it just didn't look right.
Byron: Everybody can't do natural.

I left the convo alone:

1. Only been working there a week. I really don't know anyone well enough  to make a judgment call on anyone's hair.
2. I was clearly natural, and I wondered if this was "my test" as I was wearing a curly fro.
3. This was my first lunch and at-length convo with Becki and Bryan, and I didn't have all the facts.

But, it still left me thinking. We were in mixed company, but I can't fault Becki's observations. They didn't reek of anything but her personal opinion. Not everyone is going to like natural hair or natural hair styles. But, my main issue was with Byron, who is Black.

What Would You Do?
The, "Not everyone can wear natural hair" could have been a teachable moment. But I just didn't have the energy that day. If it comes up again (and it probably will, considering that Black men can have just as bad an image of natural hair as Black women) then I will tell him that God doesn't make mistakes.

They may have both not agreed about her styling choice, but natural hair isn't like relaxed hair: It takes trial and error with products, regimens and hair styles. Any natural will tell you that there are days when your hair is on point and there are days when it's not so much.

I wanted to tell Bryon that, outside of natural circles, rarely have I heard anyone say, "Not everyone can go relaxed."

Naps Get Back
Because the belief is, especially in our communities, that we can, and should, relax our hair.

At all costs.

So what if that relaxer leaves scalp wounds.

So what if that relaxer leaves no edges.

So what if that relaxer leaves hair napes chewed up and busted.

So what if that relaxer makes our  hair look as if it's chewed up and spit out.

Quite frankly, it was a teachable moment that I didn't feel like having in front of a white woman, who probably had no idea what "natural " hair meant, anyway. This was our ish -- not hers.

Maybe Becki needed to hear the convo; maybe she didn't. Days later, I'm still torn. Part of me wanted to tell him that relaxed hair isn't perfect, that maybe she needed a bit of time to get her hair together, that relaxed hair isn't always the solution. The other part of me says I did the right thing around people I didn't know.


When do you speak up or when do you leave it alone?

Policing Natural Hair At Work

I'm a huge practical joker -- can't do 'em to save my life, because I end up laughing and giving it away -- but I love, love, love shows that pull practical jokes on others.

Nephew Tommy from the Steve Harvey show -- as well as Ricky Smiley -- are two of my radio faves. Yesterday, I caught the middle of Nephew Tommy's Prank Phone Call in which Tommy pretended he was in HR and called a woman who wore a weave to tell her about the company's no-weave/natural hair policy.

I DIED!

So funny. I couldn't find it online or you know I'd post it here. But let me paraphrase it for you.

Tommy: Monday morning, I need you to take your weave out. You are expected to arrive at work without a weave, because we are going natural.

Woman: What? *!**##!! I'm not taking my weave out. I'm gonna be at be desk with my weave on.

Tommy: This is the new policy.

Woman: I paid $300 for this weave. It's a good weave. I'm not taking it out.

Tommy: Yes, you will or you will be terminated, per our natural hair policy.

Woman: *!!!@@# I'm wearing my weave!!! I'm going to be at my job, at my desk, with my weave in. How will you know it's a weave? Are you weave checking or something? I got that good weave ....

All of which got me to thinking: What if there WERE a natural hair policy at your job? Would you stay there or protest?


I couldn't find the vid online, but here's a Nephew Tommy Prank call dealing with hair.