Just like a shadow, America’s debates on Black women’s hair cannot be escaped…and the military is no exception.
In 1940, the United States War Department authorized, regardless of race, the impartial treatment of its troops; and in 1942, allowed Black women to enlist in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. But as deeply ingrained European beauty standards carried on, the agency’s flagrantly limited grooming guidelines forced an implied demand for them to look like white women in order to serve their country.
Under Army Regulation 670-1, the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia guide – instructions on how to “present a neat and soldierly appearance” – female soldiers were prohibited from utilizing personal care practices such as wearing earrings, lipstick and nail polish, but the most confining restrictions were related to Black hair, as a number of traditional hairstyles for natural textures were banned.
With the purpose of acting in accordance with the strict policies – at which point, in order to control “bulk,” authorized hairstyles were measured down to a fraction of an inch – Black servicewomen endured the discomfort of wigs, weaves, excessive tension and chemical straightening treatments when most weren’t pragmatic in challenging scenarios like hot and wet conditions. For them, the pressure would trigger physical pain, various forms of hair loss such as traction alopecia and exacerbated postpartum hair thinning.
In 2021, with pushback from petitions of Black soldiers and organizations like the Congressional Black Caucus, the United States Army finally established more distinct personal care and grooming standards that reflect the country it serves, signaling a seismic shift in viewpoints towards soldiers with natural hair. It spent several months studying and understanding the effects of its appearance regulations before presenting them to a council of highly qualified panelists to vote on whether and how to revise them.
The panel was comprised of 17 people (15 women and two men) that represented all races and every region of the United States, from positions of a sergeant E5 (lower-level officer) to two-star generals, along with military dermatologists and mental health specialists, who explained the skin and hair challenges the guidelines imposed, as well as the identity issues brought on by the impact of suppressed individuality.
Two years later, the conversation continues about what it means for Black women soldiers to wear their natural hair in the armed forces. They are increasingly opening up about feelings of a greater understanding of acceptance and what it’s like to reimagine a renewed generation in uniform. They recount and share feelings of relief about the social, practical and emotional toll the strict limits placed on their hair, citing issues like the pain of tight-bun-induced migraines and feelings of inadequacy and shame brought on by hair breakage and thinning from constantly pulling it back.
The revised guidelines allow them to feel more like themselves and as a result, more servicewomen than ever are seizing the opportunity to style their hair in ways that give it a break, as well as enjoying the freedom to experiment with regulation-approved options. But, even as the natural hair movement rises to critical mass, some of the old misjudgments and trauma linger.
Various digital military communities have been created to provide support for women who know what it’s like to feel distanced and isolated because of their natural hair. Platforms such as Military Natural Hair and Serving Sisterlocked and Loving It – two Facebook groups of over 8,000 and 3,000 members of the U.S. Armed Forces (past and present), respectively – share experiences, stories, hair care tips and product recommendations as well as stylist directories of hair technicians stationed as far as Korea, so no matter where soldiers are deployed, their hair will be taken care of. They offer education, training and certification in styling techniques and assistance in dealing with insecurities about wearing natural hair in the military space, resources necessary to build confidence and thrive.
As the face (and hair) of the Army progresses, Black and brown servicewomen’s abilities to serve our country remain the same. They say the new grooming guidelines impose no loss of preparation or execution. In fact, they share how autonomy over their appearance has empowered them to become more productive and respected.
They now have the courage to change and uphold the narratives of textured hair in the military from the inside and out— for the better.
