I guess I just can't figure out how any
type of hair was "taboo" in either the old DIsney Look rules of the early 21st century, or these new rules for the 2020's.
There were rules about how long hair could be for men, and what color hair could be dyed, or a few rules on how it could be cut and styled (no shaving designs into a scalp, no mohawks, no towering beehives, etc.). But that was about it.
There were no rules specifically for different
types of hair in the Disney Look of the recent past, or currently.
Here are the entire Disney Look rules for ladies hairstyles circa 2016, as linked below. And this aligns with what I've seen displayed in the park among CM's of all ethnicities for at least a few decades....
FEMALE HAIRSTYLING
Here are the Disney Look guidelines for hairstyles:
• Hair should be neatly combed and arranged in a classic, easy-to-maintain style. Extreme styles are not permitted.
• Hair below shoulder length should be confined if it falls forward over the face or covers the nametag while working.
• Conservative braided hairstyles without beads or ornamentation are permitted.
• Hair products may be used to create a soft, natural hairstyle within these guidelines.
• Shaving of the head or any portion of the head or eyebrows is not permitted.
• Artificial hair is permitted if it looks natural and meets all of the above requirements
That's not exclusive to Black CM's though. Disneyland is not Colonial Williamsburg, and was never supposed to be. It has always been a theme park that put emphasis on the "show" and a "theme", but never tried to recreate the past exactly. Thus, you had Asian CM's working on Main Street USA in the 1960's even though the census data from Missouri circa 1900 shows that Missouri had exactly 458 Asian people living in the state, and they couldn't even muster 0.1% of the population. You had women wearing modern eyeglasses that never would have been seen in 1905. CM's wore watches that didn't exist in 1905. Etc, etc.
Walt himself also put a robot of President Lincoln on Main Street, even though Lincoln had been shot and killed 40 years before Main Street USA ostensibly takes place.
It doesn't make much sense if you think about it for more than 4 or 5 seconds. All of Disneyland's lands are that way. It's just a theme park. Sunglasses have been allowed since the 1950's. Black employees sporting naturals have been allowed since naturals became a thing for Black ladies in the early 70's. A Hawaiian CM can work at The Emporium. It's all fine.
The only real hangup for the gig historically was that you had to look your best. Shave. Do your hair. Don't have green fingernails. Don't dye your hair purple. Men had to take off their Def Leppard earrings. Women couldn't shave their head like Sinead O'Conner. You had to smile, look cute and fresh and presentable. Smile! It's Disneyland!
