Gray hair on professional women is the latest factor that must be added to the #diversityequityinclusion equation.
I remember taking this photo when my hairdresser suggested that I should part my hair to show my natural gray streak, which she thought was beautiful and deserved to be shown.
I decided not to show my gray streak. I was going through a career transition and I must admit, I was concerned about ageism.
Changing the colour of one’s hair was listed among the many tips and advice that I came across in material for job seekers over 50.
Award-winning Canadian television journalist Lisa Laflamme #lisalaflamme chose to gracefully accept her evolving beauty, which included the natural change in her hair color. She was fired because of it.
My takeaway : with all the talk about diversity and inclusion and with all the progress that women have been making professionally, the truth is there are many places where fitting an image based on society’s stereotypes of beauty determines whether women and visible minorities succeed or fail.
Have we really come a long way on the path to diversity and inclusion, only to find out that there is so much more work to be done?
#diversityandinclusion#change#jobseekers#professionalwomen
See the BIG picture. Focus on what’s important.
theBIGpicture Camille 