Interview #3

“The hustle and bustle of looking good all the time and conforming is exactly why I’m getting out of the business after my contract ends. I used to be so excited about the money, hair and makeup, until I realized that I was a puppet.” This news anchor has been working in a top 50 market for the past 8 years. She says she was naïve to how much she had to conform, until she had to tell an intern about her journey. “I was always told by other black anchors, you can’t wear your hair natural, and you have to wear makeup like a cheerleader, make sure you don’t gain too much weight. And when an intern asked me how I felt about her look, I found myself telling her those same words. But then I went home that night and broke down. It’s not fair, why do we have to stick to those strict guidelines, why do we not get to push the envelope, why can’t we be ourselves.” She says she knows women who are afraid to show their station what their natural hair looks like, even on off days, because they are afraid they will judge them.