Military Grooming Standards and Black Hairstyling Practices

Throughout history, armies of the world have codified grooming standards for their members. In the USA, the Department of Defense (DoD) provides overall guidance for grooming standards and each uniformed military service develops, promulgates, and enforces its own grooming standards. The specific details of each service's grooming standards are revised regularly to conform to contemporaneous notions of professionalism and operational necessity. In light of growing recognition of and respect for the diversity of people serving in the military, specific language used to describe certain hairstyles and hair textures as well as associated grooming policies have gained attention. Efforts have been made to modify the policy and language to be more inclusive, especially of minority groups with physiologic and cultural differences that influence grooming practices. Initial efforts in the DoD toward this endeavor were made possible with advocacy from members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

We obtained service-specific documents, current and former, from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps that regulate the grooming standards for military personnel. We then examined the documents for text that addressed hair and hairstyles, specifically noting language describing and regulations regarding traditionally Black or African American hairstyles (i.e., afros, dreadlocks/locks/locs, braids, twists, etc.) for female and male soldiers. We also examined recently introduced legislation which seeks to end discrimination based on a person's hair texture or hairstyle, "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act," abbreviated as the CROWN Act in the context of current grooming standards.

Our examination of the grooming regulations of four branches of the U.S. Military shows recent modifications of the language governing female hairstyles, particularly natural hairstyles seen among African American women, such as cornrows, braids, and locs (or locks). Changes made to grooming standards demonstrate a shift in language used to describe natural hairstyles. Words with negative connotations (i.e., "matted," "unkempt," and "dreadlock") have been removed. These have been replaced with more descriptive language that provides a more objective definition of certain hairstyles. While these hairstyles have some level of regulation as to exact dimensions and styling rules to fit with the goal of uniformity in appearance and do not extend to male service members, recent updates in grooming standards have expanded to be inclusive of these natural hairstyles. Recent changes in language and policy in the military have been noted as positive examples in the CROWN Act.

The DoD has recognized that former grooming standards, specifically regarding hair and hairstyles, may have introduced inequities in the treatment of military personnel. The DoD and its component military services have long been engaged in programs to ensure equal protections among its workforces. The re-examination and clarification of grooming standards related to hair and hairstyles is another effort to ensure equity and inclusion. The military services are working with great sincerity to implement policies that promote inclusiveness broadly. Steps to remove discrimination on the basis of hair and hairstyle can make the overall work environment more inclusive for people of color. Passage of a federal CROWN Act will promote similar or parallel changes for federal employees outside the military services.