Would dreadlocks be widely acceptable for a 23 year old main entering mainstream work?

[ByDearHare]

I am a mother of a 23 year old young man whom insists that dreadlocks are acceptable for mainstream work office.

I have tried to explain to my DS that he is shutting himself out of many work opportunities whom will have a dress code which he cannot dictate to.

I would appreciate very candid responses from all members of this forum.

Sorry but that sounds an awful cut you are suggesting, akin to a convict cut, 3mm all over! Its like what you'd give a kid who keeps getting lice 🤣

If well maintained sure, same as any hair style really. Most people tie their hair back in offices but there's no reason they have to

Aren't they legally protected under the equality act?

Any employer that would view dreadlooks as a reason not to employ him is probably not the place for him. I mean who would want to work for such a judgemental employer anyway? I wouldn't!

I work in professional services and it would be absolutely fine.
We recently signed up to the Halo Code :
Halo Collective

I'd say they need to be tied back in certain jobs for health and safety reasons, same as any long hair. I must say that if the person had obviously very Caucasian hair, straining under the weight of slightly old and unprofessionally applied looking 'dreadlocks' then I'd just think they will go bald by the age of twenty six.
I wouldn't say I'd not employ them. Maybe not as a hairdresser. 🤣
But as long as there's no safety issue then I personally wouldn't mind. I would be more concerned that they were competent at the job.

Absolutely not ok in my workplace. Am a Black woman myself and I don’t think they look professional.

The world has moved on and this is largely acceptable now.

I’m guessing not in UK?

Would be ok in my workplace, but just to say I worked with someone once who had them and smoked. I understand you don't wash them very often and he absolutely stank to the point I felt nauseous when I ended up getting a lift in the same car as him once. So please make sure your son keeps them clean!

My workplace signs up to the Halo code https://halocollective.co.uk/ so employees who felt discriminated against because of a traditionally black hairstyle would be able to point this out to their manager and HR. I can’t imagine anyone would discriminate against someone with dreadlocks in most workplaces.

Erm delicately is he of a culture/ethnicity where dreads make sense? If so I think it's fine. I work in legal and we have black team members with braids/natural Afro and dreads and no one bats an eye.
I think eyes might be raised at white guy with dreads I'm afraid 😬

I've only ever had one would be customer "object" to the guy with dreads who works for us sometimes, and they won't be welcome back. Be careful those who talk about them being acceptable if they are culturally appropriate, as they were worn all corners of the world and predate Rastafarianism, so aren't exclusive to one culture or race.

Is he black?

As long as he has good personal hygiene and is respectful and on time and dressed appropriately noone would bat an eyelid in my sector either. (Community work either voluntary/statutory)

Is there a particular line of work your son is looking to go into op? That might help us narrow advice?

This. Can't say it any better!

This !
I bet your DS loves Mumsnet now .

Perfectly acceptable.

Would you even want him working in a place where it wouldn’t be accepted?

I think they just need to be relatively tidy. We had multiple people with dreads and I had bright green then blue hair in a law firm. Nobody cared. So long as he's up to the job, meh

This! I’d find it highly inappropriate for anyone to tell a black man he couldn’t have dreads in the office. It would be ‘allowed’ for a white man in my office, but I would be silently judging him loads! 😆

Of course

It's fine as long as they are well kept and he's groomed.

NHS. Fine, need to be tied back if clinical

Oh he does, he rinses them every day! -washing once a week. -But thank you.

This.