Ok so I'm interested in an environmental career and my mom is suggesting I go into environmental law. Now, in all honesty, do you think having dreads would affect my changes of succeeding in this particular field? I mean obviously if I had them all wild and disgusting, but assume I'll have them in some sort of order for appearing in court, etc.
I live in a pretty conservative town... okay I lied.. I live in a town that exists simply because of old money and it's civil war connections. We are a college town, but our college is rich kids in polo shirts. There is a lawyer here, he might be a law professor actually, who has extremely long rather unkempt dreads. I think you could always become a professor of environmental law. Overall I think academia is more open minded than the practice. I was in a medical field, which while not the same is similar, and I found that having dreads forced me to apply myself even more. While it's challenging to constantly prove yourself worthy, it's also a way of breaking stereotypes and changing the perceptions of others. It makes you work harder, which is going to be intense with law school, but doable. Some of my friends go to law school, and it's very veryvery tough. I'm not sure how much contact with the environment you'd have as a lawyer, but if it's where your heart is then by all means follow it. I would rather be involved first hand as a ranger or something. hehe
Yea I mean I'd still be defending the environment I guess but my mom just suggested it...I dunno I'm still thinking about it. And yea I figured I'd have to work harder no matter what.
I would say they would need to be hidden more than needing to be pulled back. I believe it would be most lucrative if no one knew you had dreads. I think if you were to wear them down, regardless of how neat, it would affect your career. That said I don't think environmental lawyers attend court so much as are involved in writing and behind the scenes stuff. I could be wrong, but they're not going to be in court the same way a trial or defense lawyer would be.
Regardless, it sounds like you will still have to study for several years before going into the work force, so dread away now and deal with any problems down the line if they ever come up.
I would recommend you read Mary Ruwart's "Healing Our World" before you enter into a government related profession. Dread on!
its sad that this simple way of living with hair can be detrimental to our careers because of so many misconceptions of what locks are.
Yeah, but it's not just locks. It's a lot of things and certainly most modifications. It does suck, but it can be got around with quite a bit of effort and fortitude. It's very two sided though. It limits some careers greatly (and I would say law and medical careers are the main two, medical moreso than law). However, when it effects entry jobs it's more of a problem, and I would say often those are harder to get into in ways. They have more competition so the job is going to go to the most normal, non-offending person. I think in jobs where a lot of skill and training and education are required they are going to focus less on hair and more on background. I think if more dreaded people sought careers in these fields it would change how dreadheads are viewed in entry level jobs as well, because like it or not, public perception is going to care more about a lawyer or a doctor than a construction worker.
Jackillin is right though, in this particular case it's not very relivant at all. Law school is many things, and a short process is not one of them. Considering the poster is 16, he has plenty of time to enjoy his hair before he even needs to worry. I would start focusing on if it's going to be a problem or not about the time you graduate undergrad and start applying to law schools. What do you plan to major in as an undergrad?
This is a really good post. It's not just dreads it's modifications in general. Tattoos and piercings are slightly more acceptable in entry level jobs because so many people with these mods are going for those positions. The same thing could happen with dreads.
i know civil rights lawyers with dreads i know doctors and nurses with dreads one of the lawyers has just 1 really long rather ratty dread he never hides it for court basicly when it comes to law..if you know your shit you know your shit, and thats what earns ya respect you could stroill into court barefoot in jeansd and a t-shirt with holes in it and if you start quoting precedents the judge has to look up himself then there is no aRGUMENT, AND THEY GIVE YA THE RESPECT U DESSERVE NO MATTER HOW U LOOK damn caps but anyway i get the feeling that your the type that wants to do good in the world..your moms the type that wants ya to earn alotta money.. compromising yourself for her wishes will leave ya disapointed in your career path just cause she suggested law doesnt mean you should even concider it if it wasn't already something you were interested in what would give you the greatest happiness anbd satisfaction? helping corporations find loopholes that allow thewm to polute more..or reforressting rainforrests environmental careers are very broad in scope focus your sites on a carrer that matches your personalitry
That is what I am saying, I think the first person misunderstood me a bit. I think jobs requiring specialized education might care LESS about dreads than entry level jobs. Not the other way around, surprisingly. There is a lot more competition for those jobs than there is for the ones that requires a crapload of quite expensive education. I guess when you have JD after your name, or DR. or even MA, your hair matters a bit less. And it would still definitely be hard, you'd still have to prove yourself more than the average person. But I think it wouldn't be a huge issue.
I'd major in some environmental discipline, like environmental studies or environmental science. And thanks for all replies so far.
