Someone suggested I post this here from the two chromosomes sub.
I'm 30 and my hair is starting to turn grey. Boss told me to dye it because I have to maintain my hygiene and look professional
I'm 30 and suddenly last summer my hair started to turn white very rapidly. I have long black hair and it's very noticeable. It's like in the span of two months a third of my hair suddenly turned white.
It does not bother me in the slightest and I never wanted to cover it with dye because I actually like it.
My boss is one of those people who inherited a company and only shows up at our workplace a few times a year (usually to take Instagram pics to show off and post “inspiring” BS about being “self-made”) so I had not seen him since early 2021. The two other times he was in the offices we didn't coincide so Tuesday was the first time he saw me in about a year.
Without even saying hello he asked “what's wrong with your hair?”. I told him that since last summer my hair had started turning grey. He said this is a workplace and I have to “maintain my hygiene” and “make an effort to look professional” because I'm representing “his brand”. I work in an office space with 14 other people and I only interact with clients over the phone.
I do maintain my hygiene, my hair is clean and well kept and my grey hair doesn't represent his brand for shit because not one of our clients has ever seen my face and I seriously doubt they'd care I have grey hair.
So this morning I arrive at work and HR, who is the owner's brother in law and has that title just to collect a paycheck but does Jack shit, asks me why I haven't coloured my hair yet after my talk with the boss. I told him you can't be serious right? And tried to explain how grey hair has nothing to do with hygiene or being professional. He said he gets it but his BIL told me to fix it because he wants me to “be my best self” and if I don't comply he's gonna have to discipline me for insubordination. Is that even a thing? What for? For refusing to use chemical products to alter my physical image to please my boss' male gaze?
So I'm thinking there's never been a better moment to quit.
I have enough money saved to allow myself to stop working for a few months until I get a new job. My job is in demand and I won't have any problem finding a new one.
I've been at work since 9 am, I've talked to my sisters and my mum and they all agree I should walk out. So now I'm sorting out some things and as soon as I'm done I'm gone.