Hair isn’t just an accessory to accentuate a person’s look; it’s usually a big part of an individual’s identity and, in many cases, their culture. That’s why a lot of Black and indigenous folks take great care of their locks and don’t like it when other people interfere with their hair.
This is unfortunately what one ethnic woman faced when her entitled coworker randomly took scissors to her long tresses and blamed it on his intrusive thoughts. This enraged the woman, and she decided to make the man face karma.
More info: Reddit
It can take people a long time to grow out their hair, which is why they might struggle to chop off a big amount of it
Image credits: freepik / Magnific (not the actual photo)
The poster explained that her coworker, Terry, always said that her hair would look better short, and one day at a get-together he randomly cut off a big chunk of her locks
Image credits: freepik / Magnific (not the actual photo)
The woman notified Human Resources about what Terry did, but he tried to excuse his behavior by saying he was on the spectrum and he had given in to intrusive thoughts
Image credits: krakenimages.com / Magnific (not the actual photo)
The woman informed her family about the situation, and also decided to press charges against Terry, which made the Human Resources committee take her complaint seriously
Image credits: DC Studio / Magnific (not the actual photo)
The poster’s company told her that Terry was suspended and written up, and that they would cover her therapy costs, and also give her paid time off
Image credits: freepik / Magnific (not the actual photo)
The woman also told Human Resources that she’d like her hair appointment charges reimbursed, as Terry’s action could be considered racially motivated
Image credits: pch.vector / Magnific (not the actual photo)
The poster did feel quite down about her cut hair, but with the support of her family and the action taken by her company, she felt a bit better and considered how to use all her free time
Image credits: August de Richelieu / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The woman made sure to file her report of the incident with the police, and also got an admission of guilt via email from Terry, who tried to justify his actions as “intrusive thoughts”
Image credits: HelloDavidPradoPerucha / Magnific (not the actual photo)
The poster was later informed that Terry was being fired from her company, and she learned that her supervisor was struggling with the idea of having a baby of a different race
Image credits: RDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo)
What shocked the woman the most was when she found out that Terry had seemingly tried to cut her hair short to match how his wife’s tresses looked before she left him
Image credits: Choice_Evidence1983
Later on, the poster shared that she had cut her hair shorter and donated her locks to an organization that catered to women of color and queer people, which made her feel happy
The woman shared that since she worked remotely, she could wear any clothes that she liked and keep any hairstyles she wanted. The only problem was that when she sometimes met up with her coworkers, one man named Terry kept telling her she should have shorter locks. He also went so far as to chop off a huge chunk of her tresses when he one day got the chance.
According to lawyers, if someone cuts your hair without your permission, it could be considered battery. You can also press charges against the individual and claim compensation for the damage done to your locks. That’s why it’s important to collect evidence of the action and to report the person as soon as possible.
This is exactly what the woman did by getting her company’s Human Resources department involved in the situation. She also told her family what happened, and they informed her about the CROWN Act so she could press charges against Terry and get some justice.
This act was created to stop discrimination based on ethnic hairstyles by extending protections to folks in workplaces and educational institutions. This is because of the many cases in which people have been criticized for their natural hair, leading to discomfort and disruption at work.
Image credits: Drazen Zigic / Magnific (not the actual photo)
When the poster finally spoke to the HR department about her issues, she explained that Terry’s actions could be viewed as having a racial motive. That’s why they made sure to suspend the man and write him up. The woman also told them how much effort it took to grow long tresses like hers and said she’d like the company to reimburse her emergency hair appointment costs.
In situations where folks file a formal complaint with the Human Resources department, professionals explain that the company should address the matter promptly. If they take too long to process the issue or keep delaying the matter, it can negatively impact their employees.
Luckily, the woman ended up getting paid time off from her company, and Terry was ultimately fired. Even though she was incredibly hurt by her long locks being cut so randomly, she came to terms with the fact with the help of her family members. She also got the courage to file a police report and press charges against her ex-coworker.
Eventually, the poster decided to cut her locks even shorter and to donate the rest to an organization that helped women of color and queer people. She also learned that Terry had chopped her hair so that she’d look more like his ex-wife, which creeped her out. Then it’s probably good that the man had to face such severe consequences for his weird actions, right?
How would you have dealt with a bizarre situation like this, and how do you think you would feel if someone just cut your hair without asking? Do share your honest thoughts in the comments below.
Folks were disturbed by Terry’s behavior and were glad that he got fired immediately
