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The CROWN Act Makes Waves Across The Country To End Hair Discrimination

This article is more than 3 years old.

Visible acts of racial injustice and police brutality have sparked a global awakening to the experiences Black Americans have faced for centuries, including efforts to dismantle systemic racism in corporate workplaces.

Black women are still 80% more likely than white women to feel the need to change their hair from its natural state to fit in, 30% more likely to be made aware of a formal workplace appearance policy and 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair. Another recent study conducted by Duke University professor Ashleigh Shelby Rosette suggests Black women with natural hairstyles, braids or twists are often perceived as less professional than Black women with straight hair. 

The CROWN Coalition and its CROWN Act have played a significant role in this fight against hair discrimination. Cofounded in 2019 by Dove, the National Urban League, Color of Change and the Western Center on Law & Poverty, the CROWN Coalition has set out to “create a respectful and open world for natural hair” through research, national campaigning and political lobbying. The Act has garnered support from politicians and celebrities including Ayanna Pressley and Tracee Ellis Ross. 

To date, seven states—California, New York, New Jersey, Washington, Virginia, Maryland and Colorado—have passed the CROWN Act making race-based hair discrimination illegal. An additional 23 states have introduced the legislation for consideration. Meanwhile, Congressman Cedric Richmond and Senator Cory Booker are among those leaders pushing to make the Crown Act a federal mandate. 

“We will continue our work until hair discrimination in workplaces and schools is banned nationwide, but we know hair discrimination is only one of many forms of racial discrimination,” Molly Kennedy, brand director for Dove, said in a statement. Dove created the CROWN Fund last year, pledging $5 million in ongoing support to organizations driving systemic change in the Black communities.

The movement has also extended to corporations looking to change their discriminatory policies. Late last year, UPS announced it would allow employees to have facial hair and wear natural Black hairstyles including Afros and braids. 

The CROWN Act continues to challenge hair discrimination, with new cities signing on to adapt the legislation in 2021. New Orleans City Council passed the act on December 28 and Albuquerque  followed earlier this month, also voting to amend its Human Right Ordinance to prohibit  discrimination on the basis of hair texture and styles in schools and workplaces. If 2021 is the time to double down on last year’s ramped up efforts to eradicate racial injustice, a federal ban on hair discrimination should be at the top of the agenda.