Black French flight attendant forced to hide dreadlocks under a wig

 A Black French flight attendant of Air France is not allowed to wear dreadlocks during his service. The Frenchman of Ivorian origin is now forced to wear his dreads under a wig. But the dress code only applies to men, black women are allowed to wear their hair in dreadslocks.

According to the petition “Hair France, don’t touch our roots” , Aboubakar Traoré was hired as a flight attendant by the Air France in 1999. But he had no idea that such a hairstyle could “harm” the image of the company, considering that not a single of Air France regulations prohibits male flight attendants from wearing dreadlocks. Nevertheless, his managers at Air France went as far as forcing him to wear a wig to hide his hairstyle.

However, Air France’s regulations explicitly allow the wearing of dreadlocks by women, recognizing as such that the hairdo can have strong associations to an individual’s identity.

On May 5th demonstrators protested outside the office of Air France in Paris to protest against the airline’s refusal to change to change rule. They want the company to genuinely consider the ethnic diversity of its personnel, as well of the evolving society, within its regulations. And that the company halt all disciplinary measures being imposed against the flight attendant.

13 Comments

  1. Wow you would think that just plain old equality of the sexes should apply here. As long as he keeps it tidy, there should not be a problem. I am curious. Are the non Afro European males allowed to have long hair? Is it time for Afro Europeans to start a boycott of establishments and companies that do not favour diversity and begin to organise with their own version of the NAACP? It is such a pity that in 2012 we are dealing with such foolishness. So I guess hiring Sikh males would be a problem too.

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  2. There is a French version of NAACP, the CRAN, but they don't seem to be involved in this conflict.

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  3. I agree with above its a formal place with formal atire i think its ok for women to have it as long as it is short and clean. But you got to agree with me his was way to long i dont aprove of dreads my self but if he kept it short instead of lettting it grow out and have long hair like a girl then this wouldnt be a problom its a business and as a businessman i would expect all my employees to have a business appearance. Dreads are not proffecial looking in the business world unless its VERY short and clean.

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    1. I think ed made a good point it is very unprofessional looking if you want to have dreads its fine but dont bring them to the business worlds its just unprofessional.

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  4. What would happend if he had an Afro?
    I think this goes to far... If your hair is and Afro you can have so many styles, so many haircuts, but thats the ways you got with an afro...
    Its not about if its profesional or not, because if you are good and you qualify thats the only thing that matters... I always was afraid to let my hair grow because they wouldnt hire me, because everybody knows the real reason is not to scared these people who is afraid of blacks.
    What we sould do? All the guys get the same haircut? Straight our hair? ....bleech our skin...
    I dont know whats acceptable and unacceptable anymore...

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  5. This man is being unprofessional- go to Africa and see whether men wear dreadlocks to the office and you will see that the answer is no! His employers were absolutely correct to ask him to get rid of it! He is a very foolish man- a wiser man would have cut off the dreads rather than wear wig

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    1. People like you and the Africans (you should give names of countries) you're talking about are blinded by eurocentric vision of what is professional or not.
      This has dignity and he has the right to keep his hair that way as long as he clearly respects the company policy.

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  6. White racist and their companies will always be around. Racism in Europe is more widespread than in America. Read what some of the black soccer players have to go through overseas. White's Europe or domestic wll except almost every other culture but blacks unless it's marketing then they'll make millions and billions off of us.

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    1. its their country yo udont like it dont move there, thats why i love america

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  7. well even though he has to follow company procedures thats just their grooming standards of the particular Airline company. Hence I do believe that its simply taking away from our heritage/culture and that dreads for me as long as they are kept neat and well groomed well then I will hire you but if they are a total mess then we have a problem. Its very foolish for the company to allow him to wear a wig to work which is ridiculous let him just wear the hairstyle he has and let it be

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    1. I dont know why they would hire him, hes not much to look at

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  8. I think this guy should be able to wear hair that grows out of his head. It is shameful that people in the world are still following the ridiculous HAM story of kinky hair being a curse. You guys on here being anonymous are cowards.

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  9. This guy should be able to wear his hair how it grows out of his head. To be made to fit in with that ugly straight wig is the highest insult. You people on here remaining anonymous and saying it's unprofessional are cowards. If you are going to take a racist position own it don't hide...

    2012 and now 2020 people are still subscribing to the Ham story of kinky hair being cursed - RIDICULOUS

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