Dermatologists say Marines' tightened shaving waiver could hurt Black members' careers [View all]
Source: NBC News
May 24, 2025, 7:00 AM EDT
Air Force veteran Ed Anderson can’t recall any time past puberty when he didn’t get razor bumps after shaving his face. His coarse facial hair would often cause painful inflammation and itchy bumps as it grew back. Anderson, now 70, remembers requesting a shaving waiver when he entered the service in 1975, allowing him to bypass the military’s requirements for men to be clean-shaven.
For him and other Black airmen, the waivers became a symbol of unity. “It was seen as an identifier of solidarity with other Black GIs having that shaving waiver,” Anderson said. The military as a whole began issuing these waivers in the 1970s, with the Navy taking the strongest approach in 1970 to allow the elective wearing of beards to address medical conditions. But the policies of the different branches have changed multiple times since then. Now, a new U.S. Marine Corps grooming policy that affects people with curly or coarse hair is drawing ire from critics who say it targets Black men.
The guidance, issued in March, states that a diagnosis of pseudofolliculitis barbae, or PFB, a skin condition more commonly known as razor bumps or ingrown hairs, could lead to a service member’s expulsion from the branch if the issue persists. The U.S. Air Force also updated its guidance on PFB earlier this year, saying shaving waivers will expire 90 days after an airman’s next annual health assessment. But the requirements for those who may still qualify for a waiver remain unclear.
The condition affects up to 60% of Black men, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, a far higher rate than for any other group. Anderson said he sees the move as yet another example of “ongoing attacks” on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the federal government. “It’s mostly soldiers of color who are impacted by this,” he said. “I don’t see this as a productive and effective means of retaining and recruiting troops.”
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/dermatologists-say-marines-tightened-shaving-waiver-hurt-black-members-rcna208090
= new reply since forum marked as read