Meteorologist fired after responding to viewer who didn't like her hair
Oh, no they didn't! I had to do a double take earlier today after I read about a black TV meteorologist in Shreveport, La., who got fired for responding to a racial remark on Facebook. Guess what sparked the fateful email? The TV personality's closely-cropped natural hairstyle.Unbelievable, right? Here's what Richard Prince's Journal-isms' reported about the social media discussion that led to Rhonda Lee's losing her job:
Meteorologist fired after responding to viewer who didn't like her hair
Oh, no they didn’t!
I had to do a double take earlier today after I read about a black TV meteorologist in Shreveport, La., who got fired for responding to a racial remark on Facebook.
Guess what sparked the fateful email?
The TV personality’s closely-cropped natural hairstyle.
Unbelievable, right? Here’s what Richard Prince’s Journal-isms’ reported about the social media discussion that led to Rhonda Lee’s losing her job:
“On Oct. 1, a viewer identified as Emmitt Vascocu wrote, ‘the black lady that does the news is a very nice lady.the only thing is she needs to wear a wig or grow some more hair. im not sure if she is a cancer patient. but still its not something myself that i think looks good on tv. what about letting someone a male have waist long hair do the news.what about that (cq).’
Lee replied the same day, ‘Hello Emmitt--I am the 'black lady' to which you are referring. I'm sorry you don't like my ethnic hair. And no I don't have cancer. I'm a non-smoking, 5'3, 121 lbs, 25 mile a week running, 37.5 year old woman, and I'm in perfectly healthy physical condition.
I am very proud of my African-American ancestry which includes my hair. For your edification: traditionally our hair doesn't grow downward. It grows upward. Many Black women use strong straightening agents in order to achieve a more European grade of hair and that is their choice. However in my case I don't find it necessary. I'm very proud of who I am and the standard of beauty I display. Women come in all shapes, sizes, nationalities, and levels of beauty. Showing little girls that being comfortable in the skin and HAIR God gave me is my contribution to society. Little girls (and boys for that matter) need to see that what you look like isn't a reason to not achieve their goals.
Conforming to one standard isn't what being American is about and I hope you can embrace that. Thank you for your comment and have a great weekend and thank for watching.
Vascocu replied that Lee was right to be proud of who she is and that he is not a racist, but ". . . this world has . . . certain standerd (cq). if youve come from a world of being poor are you going to dress in rags?. . .’"
C’mon now. Even if Lee violated her company’s social media policy, an exception should be made in this instance. As someone who’s been there, it’s hard to sit back and let people criticize you because of what grows out of your head naturally.
We’ve come a long way from the days when black women in corporate America were afraid to wear their hair braided or in a short afro for fear of hurting their careers. Although most black women on TV news, still favor straight styles, every so often you’ll see someone rocking a ‘fro or maybe long braids the way Melissa Harris-Perry does on MSNBC. You'd probably see even more if TV personalities weren't so scared of getting the kind of negative attention that Lee got.
“It's ridiculous that the simple act of wearing your hair the way it grows from your scalp can not only solicit negative commentary, but the stereotypes that the person is 'rebellious', 'sick', 'depressed', etc.,” said Nicki Walton, founder of curlynikki.com, a site helps black women learn how to deal with their in its natural state.
“For the textured woman conforming to a straight hair beauty ideal, hair becomes the center of one's agenda,” continued Walton who’s also the author of “Better than Good Hair” (Harper Collins, 2013). “She was serving as a powerful role model to young (and old) Black women because the more these positive images are seen in our everyday lives, at work on TV, etc., the more it will become mainstream. “
Walton's right. This was a teachable moment. Personally, I think Lee responded well given the level of ignorance that the viewer spouted. Something tells me that in the days ahead, the former KTBS employee is going to get a lot of time to share more of her views on this subject.
I think she looks great, beautiful in fact. Her reply was not nasty, it was tastefully done, why on earth has she been fired?— Elderlee- I prefer the natural look as opposed to some flashy wig. However, that is immaterial. Fact is that she broke the rules which still may have put and still may have put the station in a poor position. If she was a superstar, perhaps a different path would be taken, but these on air people are very expendable.
— Bob_Pollock - why is this news in philadelphia? — hannibal barca
- Might fine lookin' for a 37.5 year old.— aviator
- Yawn...— ghostinthemachine99
C'mon, this is not a fireable offense. The lady respectfully responded with a level of class and dignity actually not deserving of the fool-poster. I hope the ownership of that station sees the error of their ways, apologize to the lady and give her job back to her. It never pays to put your public face in any internet forum as the end result here shows......
And besides, short hair or not, she is a very beautiful woman.....- She was fired because she violated her company's social media policy. Was it frivolous? Who cares? We all (professionals anyway) sign code of conduct disclosures as a condition of employment. You break those rules, you're gone. Why is this so hard to understand?
And this nonsense whether it was warranted? So what. She is in the public eye everyday. If anything she needs to have a thicker skin than the rest of us is she is going to last in that position. Sheesh.— mephisto - Im a white male and in no way was her response unprofessional. Shes proud of who she is. What right does a veiwer have to tell her how to wear her own hair? She should file suit on this one.— hipdaddy
- She is the racist.... Inconvenient Truth...now go away.— sillybilly
- @sillybilly, your name speaks for itself. Now go back down your momma's basement and finish playing your favorite game, Chutes & Ladders.
— TopCat#1 - I love her answer...did not think it was unprofessional at all. She's a pretty girl.— Gray Areas
- How can you even think about her hair when you can look at that face. Look at that face. She is a beautiful girl (I can call her a girl, I am easily old enough to be her father). And she is wearing one of more than a zillion hairstyles that women wear today. If the fellow who made the comments wants a weather person with long blonde hair I expect he can find one on another station. We would probably love her in this town.— OldSouthPhilly
- Why do people feel the need to comment on what people on TV look like, or what they wear? Why do people feel as if the anchors need to conform to our standards. How anyone can find her comments to be racist I don't know. As a white male I feel like she looks professional, and doesn't look sick, or unhealthy. Unbelievable she was fired.— EC391981
- As long as her weather report is accurate I wouldn't care if it was Mr. Clean or Cousin It doing the weather.— looneytune
