The Walt Disney Co. is considered one of the most conservative employers with a much defined dress code. So when, in the summer of 2003, the Disney Company announced that male employees could begin wearing braids, or cornrows, to work in their parks, others took notice. Disney defended its decision by pointing to a survey they conducted with its park visitors. They wanted to keep up with what is fashionable and acceptable to their "guests and cast members."

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) offers guidance on discrimination based on national origin. They have been clear that dress codes may not "treat some employees less favorably because of their national origin." But, the EEOC, and the courts, have not treated braids as a protected dress.

As a result, employers have been able to ban cornrows from the workplace, and that is also why the Disney announcement is so important. Observers are hoping that other companies will sit up and pay attention to this decision. They feel that too much attention has been paid to hair in the workplace in regards to the African-American male.