"What many people may not know is that being in the TV industry there is a 'standard' in which people are made to have their hair worn. The issue with this is that it always targets and pressures women of color to present their hair in ways that are unnatural just for the sake of having their hair look 'professional.'"

WBBJ TV meteorologist and multimedia journalist Corallys Ortiz is the latest woman of color being criticized for wearing her natural hair during a news broadcast. Ortiz posted a video on her Facebook page of her listening to a voicemail left by the viewer named Donna.

At first, it prompted eye rolls from the meteorologist as she heard the woman suggest she "change her hair back to something more normal," but what stood out is at the end of the message, the woman goes to make what sounds like a racial slur.

Ortiz responded to the situation in a lengthy Facebook post to addressing the ignorance in the woman’s comment and the frustration in being criticized over something that grows naturally from your scalp.

"One thing that has always been a strong part of my identity is my hair. About 90 percent of the time I wear it straight. It’s the way I was accustomed to wear it growing up. The last few years I’ve grown to manage and love wearing it in its natural state, the big curly fro or ‘poof’ as I call it," Ortiz said on Facebook. "No it’s not a wig like some people have thought, but because of my racially ambiguous background my hair texture itself is versatile, meaning I can wear it and style it many ways… For years on end women of color have always been told their hair wasn’t professional or ‘neat’ enough for the work place, and for years women of color would have to adhere to ‘white beauty standards’ in order to get ahead. Slowly but surely over the years those standards have been changing in this field and we see more and more women of color being able to present themselves with their natural hair on TV."

View this post on Instagram

It’s nice to bring the “poof” out once and a while, especially in this rainy kind of weather! 🌧☔️ . . . #naturalcurls #naturalhair #curlyhair #curlygirl #tvhair #curlyfro #tvlife #newslife #jacksontn #tvnews #meteorologist #journalist #tvpersonality #broadcasting #weather #melanin #latina #melaninpoppin #tennessee #newsies #marshallsfinds

A post shared by Corallys Ortiz (@corallystv) on Sep 8, 2018 at 10:09pm PDT

In spite of the critique, Ortiz said she has received a lot of positive feedback as well and messages of support in regards to her natural tresses.

"I write this because these past few days I’ve been giving my hair a bit of a break from this heat and humidity and not having to straighten it so often. This is only my second round wearing it the 10 months I’ve been in Tennessee. I’ve received so much positive feed back from viewers about the brief hair change I have going on and how they enjoy seeing my curly hair. Many people appreciate the representation I’ve given to those wanting to wear their hair in their natural state… I hope a post like this brings to light the constant criticism a person of color might face just for being themselves. I hope it serves as a lesson to people like Donna and to remind her that we are living in a new century, in nation filled with people of different background, cultures, ideals, colors, shapes and sizes."

View this post on Instagram

You’ve probably noticed that I’ve been rocking my natural curls all week! Brittany Hardaway is also rocking her natural hair today! It’s nice to give our hair a break, especially in this hot and humid weather! ☀️ . . . #teamnatural #naturalhair #curlyhair #naturalsistas #WBBJ #meteorologist #reporter #broadcaster #tvnews #newsreporter #newsies #melanin #tvpersonality #curlygirl #3chair #4ahair #tennessee #westtennessee #jacksontn #weather #weathergotmelike #womenintv #womeninmedia

A post shared by Corallys Ortiz (@corallystv) on Jun 16, 2018 at 5:29pm PDT

While more women of color can be seen rocking their natural hair on-air, it is still on a slow-and-steady progression track. Glamour spoke to a few women in the industry who choose to wear their hair naturally. Below, they shared why they keep it natural at work (despite the nay-sayers):

KIMBERLY SHINE

View this post on Instagram

Please Read: On Wednesday, I did something ‘brave’. Many of you may be surprised at my choice word, but stay with me. I reported, on air, wearing my natural hair in a natural style called a “braid out”. It’s when you braid your hair and then simply take it down and wear it crinkled. This is a style I’ve worn for years, but when I started in news five years ago, I always kept my hair straight. It’s no secret that natural styles (especially African American) aren’t normally promoted in the news business, but I decided to stop ‘being someone else’ (as I always say) and introduce our viewers to ‘me’ – a focused and professional woman devoted to their community. IT FELT GREAT! 😃 And even a couple viewers reached out with praise (thank you!) I love my straight hair, I like the wigs and I love my natural styles. My hair is great, but it does not determine/influence my job performance. From here – I plan to wear my curls/crinkles on air a bit more. 😊 Major thanks to @cbsdiaz, @romneysmith, @frantvhost, @leahuko, @officialfelicia, @demetriaobilor and Senait for being my most recent hair, and journalistic, inspirations. 🙏🏽 #reporterlife #anchorlife #news #journalism #naturalhair #weekendwarrior #natural

A post shared by Kim Shine (@misskimshine) on Jun 22, 2018 at 10:09am PDT

"In this business, wearing natural styles forces diversity—and conversation, but more than that, it shows black youth and black aspiring journalists that 'we' matter. Representation is extremely important. Of course, everyone's hair is different, but it can still be professional. Our hair is unique and nothing we should be afraid of showcasing… Unfortunately, it sometimes all depends on the TV market where you work. I feel like you have more leniency in smaller cities, than in the larger ones. But regardless, no one can deny good work. If your work is strong, it’s all about finding a natural hairstyle that compliments you."

ANGELA RYE

PHOTO: RealClearPolitics

"I thought wearing my hair on CNN in cornrows wasn't a big deal. I didn't think twice about it, but a number of black women responded, saying, 'Oh my God, thank you so much for doing this. Now I know I can do this in a professional setting.' A lot of people are just starting to accept that how black women wear their hair is a form of self-expression."

SENAIT GEBREGIORGIS

PHOTO: Twitter

"I can write a novel sharing my journey and what it took for me to have the courage to wear my hair the way it is on television. I remember thinking why try to look or be like everyone else when I can be myself? As reporters, our duties include being a watchdog; telling the stories viewers care about and serving our community. But oftentimes we forget one of the best ways to accomplish that is to be relatable and represent who we serve; whether that's keeping your name (instead of a stage name) or wearing the hair god blessed you with… My hair is a part of my identity. So what do you do with what you were given? You rock it."

AMINA SMITH

PHOTO: Vimeo

"The day I decided to ditch my flatiron, I felt like a weight lifted off of my shoulders. I could just be myself on-air, not what the industry wanted me to be."

And just because we can’t get enough, here are five more natural hair women in the broadcast world:

JAZMIN BAILEY

PHOTO: Refinery29

DEMETRIA OBILOR

PHOTO: Essence

DANA WHYTE

PHOTO: Twitter

Brittany Noble Jones

PHOTO: YouTube

LAILA MUHAMMAD

PHOTO: Facebook

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