American Apparel Only Wants Black Employees With 'Nice' Hair?

[Ed Barrow]

Internal documents from American Apparel reveal hiring practices that discriminate against the overweight, the pierced, the unstylish, and black women who don't have "nice hair," whatever that means:

Many said that the company's practice of photographing all job applicants has been going for years.

Another former AA manager says that she received the following instructions as to what kind of black girls she should try to hire during the company's open calls:

"none of the trashy kind that come in, we don't want that. we're not trying to sell our clothes to them. try to find some of these classy black girls, with nice hair, you know?"

i will remember that forever, especially the "nice hair" part. he was instructing another manager and i on who to look for during an upcoming open call, and i sat there dumbfounded, listening to him speak while the other manager made "uh huh, got it" sounds on her end of the phone. the other manager on the call with me later became a district manager, and at one point instructed me to tell two of my employees (both of whom happened to be black females) to stop straightening their hair. i refused to do this, but wondered if the mentality behind her request was related to what dov had said.

[Donnachaidh]

1. link? n/t

[demosincebirth]

2. I wouldn't hire anyone that wasn't neat looking with a good appearance, either

[Powdered Toast Man]

3. LOL

Well Duh. :) But I think what they are saying is no afros

[demosincebirth]

12. I haven't seen a afro in years

[bettyellen]

19. actually he's saying no straightened hair. afros and bed head are hip, ironing your hair isn't

[hedgehog]

6. Some would not consider these hair styles "tidy"

Although I'd like to see anyone tell that to Samuel Jackson!

[Raineyb]

10. So you think black women who don't have "nice hair" don't have a good appearance?

And what the hell is "nice" hair anyway?

[demosincebirth]

11. I guess you don't read well. I didn't mention any race.

[Raineyb]

16. No the OP did. You must have problems following a conversation.

I'm asking what your definition of good appearance as we're discussing what American does and does not consider good appearance and you seem to be agreeing with them.

Do try to keep up.

Really your attacks at my ability to read only highlights what you lack.

[demosincebirth]

20. I guess you don't follow, either. I wasn't answering the OP, I was answering your post.. Either way,...

I feel the same.

[Dappleganger]

4. What is nice hair??

Did they have a problem with mean hair before??

[blondeatlast]

5. You'd get mean too if you were teased. nt

[Dappleganger]

8. Maybe, but my bedhead is pretty damn scary.

Just ask my kids!

[AngryAmish]

7. American Apparel is a really f'd up company

It's owner is a public masturbater (really) who thinks his female staff exists as his sexual playthings. Really.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

9. Isn't that a store brand of some big box store?

Walmart? Target?

[madrchsod]

13. why the president /founder of the company is a stud.....

he`s a scummy little racist ......

[blondeatlast]

14. Ick. Yucko. No thanks. Ew. nt

[madrchsod]

15. oh crap i should have put a warning in my post....sorry.

[Raineyb]

17. Eww! What she said!

That's disgusting!

[miscsoc]

18. I'm not surprised, the prick who runs the company is also anti-union etc.

A lot of self styled liberals overlook his many sins because he has a paternalistic attitude towards his workers and doesn't give them appalling wages but at best he has the mentality of a "good" slave owner. He'll dish some treats for his workers now and then but you can see he loves the power and that there's some sexual element to it.

This is an excellent article: http://clamormagazine.org/issues/38/aa/straub.php