Akua Agyemfra told the CBC that she was sent home from her shift at Jack Astor's because she wore her natural hair in a bun. The reason: The management requires all servers to wear their hair straight down. Agyemfra's physically can't do that in its natural state.
More: I have struggled all my life to find my natural hair beautiful
"Management at Jack Astor’s did NOT specify that I had to wear my hair down every single shift. If they did, I would have NOT taken the job because I know my hair cannot be straight every day," she wrote in a Facebook post after she was sent home from her shift.
"I had extensions during my interview and my two training shifts. After I took out my braids, my Afro did not comply to the ‘straight hair’ rule. To maintain it and look presentable, I had to put it in a bun."
More: 6 ways you can make your hair grow faster
Women of color have been forced to straighten and chemically alter their hair for years — or wear wigs and extensions — to step in line with some idiotic unwritten rule that says only straight hair is acceptable and professional. Hair in its natural state is finally becoming more accepted, but experiences like Agyemfra's show there's still a painfully long way to go.
"I'm not going to compromise my roots and edges because my employer wants me to," she told the CBC. "My scalp has a right to breathe just as much as the woman standing beside me."
More: Cutting out shampoo and conditioner could be the best thing for your hair