Have you ever felt singled out over something you could not control? Or felt like you couldn't be yourself when you were with your peers? Well, the CROWN Act (Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) is here to help. Black people are often told in the workplace to change something about them that they cannot help: their hair. If the CROWN Act is ratified, we can eliminate that type of discrimination.
1. What it is
According to its website, the CROWN Act is a law that "prohibits race-based hair discrimination, which is the denial of employment and educational opportunities because of hair texture or protective hairstyles including braids, locs, twists or bantu knots." This act is important because black women are 1.5x more likely to be sent home from work due to their hair. In early 2020, a Texas teen was barred from walking the stage at his own high school graduation simply for the length of his dreads.
2. California was the first to pass, but we have much more to go
As of October 2020, California, Washington, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and Maryland are the only states to turn the CROWN Act to law. Kansas City signed the CROWN Act into law on October 1st, but the rest of the state has yet to take the plunge.
3. It was just passed by the house
On September 22, 2020, the US House of Representatives passed the CROWN Act, but for the CROWN Act to go nationwide it would also have to pass the Senate with a majority vote.
Why the CROWN Act should have been passed nationally, like, yesterday
Natural hairstyles are not distracting
If you're distracted, it's because you clearly have not been in a diversified climate in a long time, if ever. A supervisor's lack of diversity should not be a punishable offense for the employee. Someone should not have to change, cut, or damage their hair in order to assimilate because the employer is sheltered. Rather, the employer should embrace the diversity of their staff and accept others' cultures.
Saying natural hairstyles are unprofessional is a microaggression
According to The Training Associates, the four central principles of professional are "be accountable, be on time, be ethical, clear communication". Now, which of these is affected by a hairstyle? I'll wait. Can't think of any? That's because professionalism is not affected by hair, especially not by natural hair. To imply that braids, coils, or locs are unprofessional is to imply that black people are innately unprofessional. 1.5x more likely to be sent home
Sending someone home for their hair teaches hate
Many black people, especially women, have to unlearn self hatred for their hair. Those with tighter hair textures are often shamed for their hair. Being sent home for work only reinforces that self hate and perpetuates racism.
