KSAT Anchor Shows Natural Locs, Drops Wig

Japhanie Gray's on-air change highlights documented workplace pressure on Black women to alter natural hair.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Beauty

Bold flat-color vector editorial illustration of a textured coil of natural locs beside a pale wig form on a warm sandstone surface, evoking natural hair in professional settings. — KSAT morning anchor Japhanie Gray stopped wearing a wig on air after nearly six years, citing harsh judgment over her hair from viewers and managers. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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KSAT morning anchor Japhanie Gray announced on Facebook that she has stopped wearing a wig on air and is now showing her natural locs on camera. Gray had worn a wig on air for nearly six years before making the change.

Why it matters

Gray's announcement highlights how hair texture and style can carry professional penalties in television news and beyond. The 2023 CROWN Workplace Research Study found Black women's hair is more than twice as likely to be perceived as unprofessional than the hair of women who are not Black, and nearly half of Black women have felt pressured to straighten their hair for job interviews and headshots.

The figures come from the 2023 CROWN Workplace Research Study, which examined workplace perceptions of Black women's hair. The study reports that Black women's hair is more than twice as likely to be perceived as unprofessional than the hair of women who are not Black, and that nearly half of Black women have felt pressured to straighten their hair for job interviews and headshots.

The players

KSAT

KSAT is a San Antonio television station where Japhanie Gray works as a morning anchor.

Japhanie Gray

Japhanie Gray is a morning anchor at KSAT who has spoken publicly about the pressures women in television news face around appearance.

The details

Gray announced the decision in a Facebook post, saying she recently chose to stop wearing a wig and show her natural locs on camera. She said she and other TV journalists have faced harsh judgment about their hair, weight, makeup and speech from viewers and managers. Gray credited advocates who have raised awareness about beauty standards for women with making the change easier.

Gray began wearing a wig on air nearly six years before November 2026.
The CROWN Workplace Research Study on Black women's hair was published in 2023.
Gray announced she had stopped wearing a wig on Wednesday, November 5, 2026.

Health Landscape

The CROWN Workplace Research Study frames hair texture and styling as a workplace equity issue that intersects with grooming standards and self-presentation. Gray's on-air change adds a visible local example to a body of workplace research on how appearance expectations affect Black women in professional settings.

Hair-related stress and pressure to alter natural hair for professional settings can be a real concern for many people, especially Black women. If grooming pressure is affecting your daily routine or wellbeing, it can be worth discussing with a trusted doctor or counselor.

The takeaway

Workplace appearance expectations are increasingly documented as a real source of stress, and speaking openly about them can normalize choices that feel authentic. If hair or appearance pressure is weighing on you, talking with a counselor or physician about coping strategies is a reasonable next step.