AIO for feeling this way about my supervisor?

💼work/career

I (16F) have had a job for almost 2 years now and we have uniform polices on hair. Back in October I dyed my hair a cherry redish color, pretty subtle and not an overwhelming red. We are technically not allowed to have unnatural hair colors, but multiple people have had hair a similar shade to mine since I’ve started working here. My hair had also been this color for months and nothing was said to me.

Today I came in and a bit before I clocked in my manager pulled me aside to tell me that I couldn’t work due to my hair color. I have recently redyex it and added a blonde patch but other than that nothing about my color has changed from when I first dyed it. However he told me that this wasn’t coming from him and he was told by my supervisor (~50F) to tell me this and that if she was there he wouldn’t even have cared.

This also isn’t the first time something similar has happened. The last time it was because my hair was “too long” to be worn down, if your hair is past shoulder length (it was not) it has to be tied up in some way (although reading through our handbook now it’s not even specifically a rule) She told this same manager to tell me to tie my hair up because of it being in the way. Both of these times instead of addressing me herself she made someone else do it for her.

My issue isn’t whether or not the rules were applicable to me or not but the way she chooses to address them. Rather than coming to me herself she makes someone else address me and then proceeds to avoid interacting with me afterwards.

The way she interacts with me feels different from other employees, I am one of like 8 black employees and we have a decently sized staff (40+) Like I’ve stated others have had a similar hair color to mine for over a year with no issue and they were both hispanic like her. Our handbook does list “red” as an acceptable color but I’m sure it just means ginger even though it’s not specific.

I don’t want to call her racist because that’s a strong accusation and I’m feeling she’s just old? I’m not sure if i’m just reacting to strongly to this and if I should like email over this or something.

Posted Jan 10, 2026, 12:29 AM UTC

15
Loading comments…