Loosening Grooming Guidelines?

[doombuggy]

Lets hope they take that step back. As I've pointed out mohawks were once very instyle too.

Cornrows have been around for MANY years. I first started seeing them in the 1970s, but since I am only 35, I can assume that they have been around longer than that. For people of the black community, this hairstyle is a staple. Once in, it's realitively easy to take care of. While I have spent time around people of many different races (being from this nation's 5th largest city), maybe some here have not. Please try not to be so narrow minded.

As for stinky co-workers, we had one of those. How do you tell someone that they smell? He doesn't work there anymore, thank goodness. He had enough problems, I just didn't have the heart to say something to him - I just ekpt away (which is hard in a small office).

As for the rings thing in the costume guidelines, a wedding set is premitted, as someone perviously stated. Ootherwise, it's one ring per hand. sometimes, i taken mine off, so they don't get smacked around when I am doing shipment and such.

 

[AWilliams]

Just curious....

A friend of mine told me that tatoos were not allowed. If the tatoo was in a spot that would never be seen under a costume would it be okay?

Thanks!

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by doombuggy
Cornrows have been around for MANY years. I first started seeing them in the 1970s, but since I am only 35, I can assume that they have been around longer than that. For people of the black community, this hairstyle is a staple.

Lets look at a few other hair styles and looks in general that have been around for years.... Disney really should get with the program and update their grooming guidelines.

 

[Swamp_Fox]

Hey Europa,

You missed dreadlocks, and those buzzcuts where designs are shaved into the hair

Swamp_Fox

 

[Lesley]

Seems to me that spikes and mohawks, while popular among some very small portion of the population at one time and another, are a very different issue from cornrows. Those of you living in very sheltered, primarily white communities (which are not the majority in the US...but I do know of what I speak as I just moved away from one) may not see cornrows often.....and may actually be more likely to be familiar with mohawks and spikes....but in diverse communities they are as common as any other hairstyle and much more common than your typical "punk" hairdo. And as one poster pointed out....African-Americans really have very little choice of style at Disney that doesn't involve trying to make their hair behave (through various chemical treatments) like "white" hair. As it was mentioned, women have been allowed to wear cornrows for some time....its just become a standard style for men as well.

Personally I'd like to see Disney focus more on standards of behavior rather than appearance....at one time you could be guaranteed a smile and hello...or similar warm greeting...from any cm you came into contact with. These days I run into cm's holding private conversations while working with guests, looking annoyed that you've bothered them, or just plain lacking any sort of warmth. Not all the time....but at least as many times as I come across cm's who truly make you feel like you've stepped into a world where things are different...friendlier, happier, more magical.

It seems to me that there is an undercurrent of wanting to keep Disney not so much "clean cut" "friendly"and "family oriented" but more "white". Very sad indeed.

 

[meiandrew]

I was going to avoid posting on this topic, because I know it is a bit touchy, but I have to agree with those that dont like the
"cornrow" idea... I dont know..maybe it is because I live in NY, but the thought of going to WDW and seeing CM's with cornrows scares me a little bit !!! Just my .02

 

[Maistre Gracey]

It certainly does not have anything to do with living a "sheltered" life. Personally, I just don't think a guy wearing braids portrays a clean, family oriented atmosphere.

--Just my opinion...

 

[Swamp_Fox]

I would like to agree with you Maistre Gracey but I live in NYC and unfortunately black people with "cornrows" conjure up images of the stereotypical portrayal of black youth that MTV forcefeeds us and the media covers. I'm sure each and every black person sporting cornrows is not in the bloods or crips, but with movies, the print and TV media and uninformed people they would have you believe so. It's not the hairstyle I'm concerned about it's the stigma attached to it.

Swamp_Fox

 

[OnWithTheShow]

AWilliams,

Tatoos are allowed but they cannot be visible when you are in costume.

 

[DanceBabe16]

Cornrows on African-American guys are as common as spiky, gelled hair on Caucasian guys...it's just a hairstyle! It does not "promote" gangs or the 'hood because for every Blood or Crip that may be sporting cornrows, there's another innocent person with them who has absolutely no relation to any kind of gang activity whatsoever. There's absolutely nothing wrong with them. They are ok for sanitary reasons because they keep ALL of that person's hair out of their face very easily. It is just a hairstyle and I don't understand why there is such a huge fuss over such a small thing.
I am a 16-year-old white girl from Texas and I realize this! I don't know if it's because I'm younger and "more with the times" or whatever, but this is getting ridiculous...I mean, to say that cornrows are unacceptable because they are present in gangs or whatever is crazy. It is a hairstyle for many, many, many, MANY African-Americans, not just ones from the "hood" or New York or L.A. - guys from my hometown have them and they are GREAT guys...
Sorry to let off so much steam, but I mean, come on! This whole topic is absolutely crazy...it's a hairstyle.

 

[Swamp_Fox]

DanceBabe16 with all due respect please fully read all posts before responding.

unfortunately black people with "cornrows" conjure up images of the stereotypical portrayal of black youth that MTV forcefeeds us and the media covers.

I'm sure each and every black person sporting cornrows is not in the bloods or crips, but with movies, the print and TV media and uninformed people they would have you believe so.

It's not the hairstyle I'm concerned about it's the stigma attached to it.

Swamp_Fox

 

[DanceBabe16]

Originally posted by Swamp_Fox
DanceBabe16 with all due respect please fully read all posts before responding.
Swamp_Fox

Swamp_Fox,
I did read all of the posts and I do understand what you are talking about. However, I disagree with your views and have my own. I'm sorry if you thought I was being ignorant, but my post does express my views.
I realize that what surrounds cornrows is the issue here; my point was that there really shouldn't be such a stereotype since so many people have that hairstyle, making it OK to wear in the WDW parks. If my post conveyed any other message, I apologize - I must have worded things wrong.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Originally posted by DanceBabe16
Cornrows on African-American guys are as common as spiky, gelled hair on Caucasian guys...it's just a hairstyle!

Exactly. I also would not want a spiked blue haired castmember at WDW. Could you just imagine that?
When I visit WDW I want, and expect, a 'clean cut image'.

How to cook a frog: Put the frog in cool water, and slowly turn up the heat, one degree at a time. Eventually the frog will be cooked, but because of the gradual temperature increase, the frog never knew the water was getting hot.

Do not start by putting the frog in hot water, as he will just jump out.

In other words, as Disney gives in a 'little at a time' on apperance, before too long castmembers will be wearing nose rings.

 

[DanceBabe16]

Originally posted by Maistre Gracey
Exactly. I also would not want a spiked blue haired castmember at WDW. Could you just imagine that?
When I visit WDW I want, and expect, a 'clean cut image'.

I didn't mean blue spiked hair, I meant the "spiked" hair that most teenage guys have - brown, blonde, etc. Not the punk hairstyles, the mainstream hair popular among teens (see any Backstreet Boys or NSYNC poster for examples...)

 

[philaround]

Lisa, I must say You are a very articulate and considerate young lady. I am very proud of you for what you said and how you said it.

As to hairstyles, neat and clean should be the guiding factors. Obviously the "spike" and 'Mohawk" type hairstyles would be very difficult to manage with various health and costume restrictions while cornrows would not. Cornrows may have been a "black" hairstyle at one time but, at least in my area of the country, is now a fairly common style for men and women of many varied ethnic backgrounds.

P.S. Please do not confuse cornrows with dredlocks.

 

[philaround]

Lisa, I must say you are a very articulate and considerate young lady. I am very proud of you for what you said and how you said it.

As to hairstyles, neat and clean should be the guiding factors. Obviously the "spike" and 'Mohawk" type hairstyles would be very difficult to manage with various health and costume restrictions while cornrows would not. Cornrows may have been a "black" hairstyle at one time but, at least in my area of the country, is now a fairly common style for men and women of many varied ethnic backgrounds and not just for young people.

P.S. Please do not confuse cornrows with dredlocks.

 

[DanceBabe16]

Originally posted by philaround
Lisa, I must say you are a very articulate and considerate young lady. I am very proud of you for what you said and how you said it.

phil,
Thank you very much

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I'm an almost 34yr old SAHM- I'm caucasian and born/raised in small town rural Texas.
I don't see anything wrong with cornrows on CMs at Disney World. Wouldn't bother me one iota.
Dreadlocks- maybe. But only because I personally think they look "unkempt" and that's not an image I think Disney wants to portray. But cornrows are neat, close to the head, and are a very common hairstyle.
I'm white and used to have blonde hair (it's darker brown now) and had long hair almost all my life until the past couple of years. I used to get cornrows when on vacation and used to do one or two big "cornrows" (almost like a french braid -but the technical definition of the way it was braided is cornrows) in the back ending in a long braid because my hair was sooo long.

I see nothing wrong with it at all and I for one would never see it as being "hoodish" or have any relation to gangs. But I guess that's just me..... and some others.

And I agree with dancebabe. I know what she's talking about on the spiked gelled hair- you are misunderstanding what she's talking about. She's not talking about long hair spiked up really high with gel- she's talking about a VERY common hairstyle now with guys- short hair gelled up a bit so it's not laying down in the old "man" style hairstyle. It is so common nowadays I simply find it hard to believe you've not seen it to know what she's talking about. It's nowhere near like described as spiked blue hair and all that. I saw MANY CMs with their hair like that the two trips I took recently. I'd much rather see neat cornrows on men than mullets (personal choice- no offense meant LOL), dreadlocks (looks unkempt and usually is- that's how they get it to look like that), or any other unkempt looking longish hairstyle on men... or hairstyles that are extreme- such as blue long hair spiked up high or mohawks. People with hairstyles like that are usually trying to be "different" or unique or to get the "shock" value. And I don't think that's an image Disney wants to portray.
How neat rows of braids keeping the hair neat and close to the head could be "shocking" is beyond me.

Since I don't equal cornrows with a gang or "hoodish" lifestyle- if you just LOOK at it without those thoughts you may have- you can't deny it's a neat well kempt look.

 

[DanceBabe16]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
And I agree with dancebabe. I know what she's talking about on the spiked gelled hair- you are misunderstanding what she's talking about. She's not talking about long hair spiked up really high with gel- she's talking about a VERY common hairstyle now with guys- short hair gelled up a bit so it's not laying down in the old "man" style hairstyle. It is so common nowadays I simply find it hard to believe you've not seen it to know what she's talking about. It's nowhere near like described as spiked blue hair and all that. I saw MANY CMs with their hair like that the two trips I took recently.

Thank you - that's what I meant. Sorry for any confusion

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

My $.02 -- I can't say that if I saw a CM at WDW with Cornrows it would strike me at all. After all the CM would be wearing the rest of their costume and neat cornrows would look much like any other neat hairstyle.

I don't think I've ever noticed the type of earring a female CM was wearing or how many rings they had or if they were wearing eye shadow.

Now some punked out person or someone with unruly dreadlocks I would notice.