People like the OP of the original tweet really ruin any intelligent debates we can have about anti-blackness.
Themanstall on
Naw, they cooking.
From accepted hair styling, to the “angry Black woman” trope when woman are assertive, to clean shaven beards. even language, Aave is rarely acceptable but whatever the fuck slang white people have, is spoken all the time in the office.
French_Taylor on
C.I.A. trying to free up the employment market
b3nd3r_r0b0t on
Now when then had us in corporate casual in the clubs in the 2000’s that was anti-black. But for a job…….people just be throwing around words.
WearyCopy5686 on
Professionalism in America is rooted in Eurocentrism and anti Blackness.
Unusual-Ideal-3509 on
I mean that’s a loaded discussion but OP technically isn’t wrong. The crown act still isn’t passed in about 23 states and some black people still get discriminated against for locs and other Afrocentric styles in states that did pass it. The fact that the crown act began in 2019 speaks volumes
PushTheTrigger on
OP has a point but he didn’t expand on it. Standards of professionalism are rooted in Eurocentric standards. That’s why many Black women are looked down upon for wearing their natural hair and why Black men are expected to keep their hair short and god forbid “neat.” Many Black cultural behaviors. are considered ‘unprofessional’ or ‘ghetto.’
Moose-Rage on
“I will not argue” I really dislike this trend. How can some people expect to understand something if you don’t at least explain it? I understand there are bad faith actors out there but I think that’s made people too defensive. We still need to exchange ideas to understand each other. (no this does not mean debate Nazis so don’t think I’m arguing for that)
Like, I don’t get the OP myself. Are certain professional standards anti-black? Of course. But the very idea of “professionalism” being anti-black? I don’t understand that at all.
AnubisIncGaming on
That tie is not gonna make them respect you boo. Put it on if you feel like it but don’t kid yourself.
Isntreal319 on
the original tweet is right in the most annoying way possible 😭
i always think about how professionalism is the same across the entirety of the planet mostly because white people colonized the entire planet
DMking on
This entirely depends on what he means by professionalism. If he’s mad he needs to not dress a mess or if he’s mad about certain hairstyles being deemed unprofessional.
Tripple_T on
Professionalism is rooted in anti-blackness though. One of the reasons Crown acts exist.
I had a manager that got sent to training for Jimmy John’s, granted in her area she’s been there for around 5 years. Black lesbian women with dreads sent to corporate training in Indiana from the Pacific Northwest. They almost sent her home on the first day because of her dreads, realizing the optics this would create, they decided otherwise.
witchitieto on
Every day I have to wear a tie is a bad day
kerrwashere on
The post is correct lmao. Wait people do not already know this
Tomalesforbreakfast on
Anyone who writes the word talm will not get the job
The uncomfortable truth is that our culture is shaped by both trauma and triumph, with trauma being the dominant force. Therefore, “professional” is undoubtedly rooted in Eurocentrism, just like beauty standards. However, Black people have also significantly influenced marketing, advertising, and other aspects of professional culture. For example, you won’t get hired at an ad agency if you show up in a suit and tie, but dress like Tyler the Creator and you might get a promotion.
Nkredyble on
I mean, it’s anti Black in terms of historical and ongoing barriers that impact the accessibility, feasibility, and/or appropriateness of the trappings of professionalism. And of course there’s a history of using professional standards of appearance, speech, or other aspect (like name) to purposely target Black folks for exclusion. That’s a valid conversation.
However and also, there’s an equally valid conversation about social contracts, what broad societal expectations are, and what we are obligated to adhere to as a consequence of this being the standard of society until it changes. Job expects you to wear a suit and tie, even though jeans and Js has no demonstrable impact on your capabilities or performance. If you want that job, you gotta wear that suit, at least until the standards change. Beyond the functions of the job, there still exists professional appearance as a form of nonverbal shorthand that communicates authority and ability. You can’t always send that same message in other ways without larger narrative shifts.
I think one of the shortcomings of the internet has been an application of intellectual arguments without the context necessary to fully engage in them. Professionalism as a social construct can absolutely breed anti Blackness, and may be rooted in it even, but it’s hard to share that small piece without additional information in an era where cats gotta make tldrs for their tldr to get people’s attention.
20 Comments
People like the OP of the original tweet really ruin any intelligent debates we can have about anti-blackness.
Naw, they cooking.
From accepted hair styling, to the “angry Black woman” trope when woman are assertive, to clean shaven beards. even language, Aave is rarely acceptable but whatever the fuck slang white people have, is spoken all the time in the office.
C.I.A. trying to free up the employment market
Now when then had us in corporate casual in the clubs in the 2000’s that was anti-black. But for a job…….people just be throwing around words.
Professionalism in America is rooted in Eurocentrism and anti Blackness.
I mean that’s a loaded discussion but OP technically isn’t wrong. The crown act still isn’t passed in about 23 states and some black people still get discriminated against for locs and other Afrocentric styles in states that did pass it. The fact that the crown act began in 2019 speaks volumes
OP has a point but he didn’t expand on it. Standards of professionalism are rooted in Eurocentric standards. That’s why many Black women are looked down upon for wearing their natural hair and why Black men are expected to keep their hair short and god forbid “neat.” Many Black cultural behaviors. are considered ‘unprofessional’ or ‘ghetto.’
“I will not argue” I really dislike this trend. How can some people expect to understand something if you don’t at least explain it? I understand there are bad faith actors out there but I think that’s made people too defensive. We still need to exchange ideas to understand each other. (no this does not mean debate Nazis so don’t think I’m arguing for that)
Like, I don’t get the OP myself. Are certain professional standards anti-black? Of course. But the very idea of “professionalism” being anti-black? I don’t understand that at all.
That tie is not gonna make them respect you boo. Put it on if you feel like it but don’t kid yourself.
the original tweet is right in the most annoying way possible 😭
i always think about how professionalism is the same across the entirety of the planet mostly because white people colonized the entire planet
This entirely depends on what he means by professionalism. If he’s mad he needs to not dress a mess or if he’s mad about certain hairstyles being deemed unprofessional.
Professionalism is rooted in anti-blackness though. One of the reasons Crown acts exist.
https://preview.redd.it/3u739slgaxmg1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b0840d5e3b720f3f1e0aa4851ce14e3b5d055bd
Nah we professional at all times
I had a manager that got sent to training for Jimmy John’s, granted in her area she’s been there for around 5 years. Black lesbian women with dreads sent to corporate training in Indiana from the Pacific Northwest. They almost sent her home on the first day because of her dreads, realizing the optics this would create, they decided otherwise.
Every day I have to wear a tie is a bad day
The post is correct lmao. Wait people do not already know this
Anyone who writes the word talm will not get the job
https://preview.redd.it/9fn6ijnkexmg1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bc87f7129ebaaab452d3a17e0bac0fad45b48c9a
The uncomfortable truth is that our culture is shaped by both trauma and triumph, with trauma being the dominant force. Therefore, “professional” is undoubtedly rooted in Eurocentrism, just like beauty standards. However, Black people have also significantly influenced marketing, advertising, and other aspects of professional culture. For example, you won’t get hired at an ad agency if you show up in a suit and tie, but dress like Tyler the Creator and you might get a promotion.
I mean, it’s anti Black in terms of historical and ongoing barriers that impact the accessibility, feasibility, and/or appropriateness of the trappings of professionalism. And of course there’s a history of using professional standards of appearance, speech, or other aspect (like name) to purposely target Black folks for exclusion. That’s a valid conversation.
However and also, there’s an equally valid conversation about social contracts, what broad societal expectations are, and what we are obligated to adhere to as a consequence of this being the standard of society until it changes. Job expects you to wear a suit and tie, even though jeans and Js has no demonstrable impact on your capabilities or performance. If you want that job, you gotta wear that suit, at least until the standards change. Beyond the functions of the job, there still exists professional appearance as a form of nonverbal shorthand that communicates authority and ability. You can’t always send that same message in other ways without larger narrative shifts.
I think one of the shortcomings of the internet has been an application of intellectual arguments without the context necessary to fully engage in them. Professionalism as a social construct can absolutely breed anti Blackness, and may be rooted in it even, but it’s hard to share that small piece without additional information in an era where cats gotta make tldrs for their tldr to get people’s attention.