Black women with natural hairstyles , such as Afros, braids or twists, are often perceived as less professional than Black women with straightened hair, a new study has revealed.

The research, conducted at Duke Universitys Fuqua School of Business , offers evidence that discrimination against natural Black hairstyles is prevalent in the workplace and perpetuates race discrimination .

Ashleigh Shelby Rosette, a management professor and a senior associate dean at the university, said, The impact of a womans hairstyle may seem minute, but for Black women, its a serious consideration and may contribute to the lack of representation for Blacks in some organizational settings.

In the aftermath of the George Floyd murder and the corresponding protests, many organizations have rightly focused on tactics to help eradicate racism at systemic and structural levels. But our individually held biases often precede the type of racist practices that become embedded and normalized within organizations.