Officials facial hair and hair style

[JRutledge]

First let me say I am African-American and Black. You can be both or one or the other depending on your ethnic background.

Let me say that no matter how you slice it, we still live in a relatively conservative society. Even though we are not shocked that someone shows some individuality, it is not accepted in all walks of life. I for a brief time had braids while I was in college back in the day. I did so because I did not work in a profession that required a certain look. Before I left school and before I became an official that changed. I would never today wear dreadlocks or have braids of any kind. Right or wrong I also have enough to overcome in perception that makes people think one more thing of me negatively that I can control. I cannot control my race or my ethnicity, but I can control my hairstyle and the tattoos or markings I have on my body. And if you look at most officials, they look a certain way and do you have a metal band hair cut or even look like the players with their hairstyles and tattoos. I do not see coaches that are African-American and Black wearing these things, so why should I? We are in positions of authority and people want those individuals to look a certain way or not be threatening. That does not mean that I do not have to overcome the "Angry Black Man" stereotype. But I am not going to add to that by what by looking like Lil Wayne either.

Peace

[Mark Padgett]

Count me as one of those who feel you got screwed for a ridiculous reason. One question - in your OP, you mention both the tournament director and the assignor. Did you ever find out whose decision this actually was? It may have been the tournament director's. You kind of imply that when you stated you felt the assignor should have "had your back".

One other comment - if you had any plastic in your hair, it could have been a safety issue, but your partner not only had nothing in his hair, he didn't even have any hair. Did he have metal clips in his moustache?

[RefAHallic]

Is your hairstyle facial hair not an issue during your regular season assignments? If so, that's odd considering my expereince. I'm Negro and guys here have to cut off ponytails, dreads and goatees to officiate. The one guy who has a beard is white, and well, I'm glad I don't get his schedule.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by RefAHallic

Is your hairstyle facial hair not an issue during your regular season assignments? If so, that's odd considering my expereince. I'm Negro and guys here have to cut off ponytails, dreads and goatees to officiate. The one guy who has a beard is white, and well, I'm glad I don't get his schedule.

LOL, we've got quite a few with goatees, none with full beards, some who are bald, and some who wear belted pants.

None of the bald black guys seemed particularly angry to me, though.