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No one deserves to be discriminated against because of the hairstyle they wear, but too many Black Americans have faced bigotry at work and school for this reason. Several states have passed the CROWN Act, which would protect people from discrimination based on their hair’s style or texture.
We need to build on the momentum: we have to demand that more states pass the CROWN Act, and move towards a blanket federal passage. Read the full text of our petition below and sign on now.
Sign the petition: End hair discrimination. Support the CROWN Act.
Across the U.S., momentum is growing to ban natural hair-based discrimination for good, a movement underscored by the introduction of the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act (CROWN Act). The CROWN Act bans discrimination based on an individual's texture or style of hair. This is a crucial step toward dismantling systemic racism and ensuring that no one is penalized for their natural appearance.
Historically, policies aimed at prohibiting natural hairstyles have been used as retaliation to unfairly penalize Black children at school and Black adults in the workplace. A 2021 study revealed that a third of Black children in majority-white schools faced race-based hair discrimination.
DeAndre Arnold of Texas was threatened with being unable to participate in his graduation due to his dreadlocks. Despite his efforts to comply with the school's dress code by tying up his hair, the school district's rigid policy on hair length remains an obstacle.
Research found that African American women were more likely to be sent home as a result of their hair and that 80% of African American women felt pressured to change their hair to fit in. A separate study also revealed that participants saw Black hairstyles as unprofessional - reinforcing the need for national legal protections against hair discrimination.
It's time to build on the momentum of states that have already passed the CROWN Act. Under the CROWN Act, discrimination based on natural hair would be treated as race or national origin discrimination under federal civil rights law. It's time for cultural expression through hair to be not only accepted but celebrated.
Sign the petition: End hair discrimination. Support the CROWN Act.
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