Is There Such a Thing as Hair Discrimination?
Yes, hair discrimination is a very real thing and something that has oppressed Black communities for hundreds of years.
What is Hair Discrimination?
Hair discrimination is a very real form of oppression that’s based on a person’s hair. What it does is make conforming their hair to fit Euro-centric a requirement that’s encouraged by those in authority. To put it another way, if a black person chooses not to cut, perm, or straighten their hair to look more like a white person’s hairstyle, they are making themselves look unprofessional.
There have been instances where people have been given an ultimatum concerning their hair. Rather than being allowed to have natural hair, it’s been suggested that they cut their hair or become subject to oppressive consequences. A student, for example, was suspended from high school because he wouldn’t cut his locs.
Black people being disrespected because of their hair is nothing new. Look back in history to 1786 when black women in New Orleans were made to cover their hair in public to symbolize they were part of a slave class. Even today, many black people are asked to straighten or cut their hair to fit in with the white corporate culture.
Is it Possible to Fight Hair Discrimination?
Because of the negative connotations often associated with black natural hair, it’s not uncommon for people to let go of hairstyles they’re comfortable with, just to fit in.
There’s nothing wrong with cutting, perming, straightening, or adding a relaxer to your hair if you like it. What’s wrong is when someone is forced to change the way their hair grows naturally. Such a belief has influenced policies regarding professional standards and codes of conduct all across America, but things are changing. For example, there is already a World Afro Day that takes place every year to encourage change, education, and celebration of Afro hair, culture, and identity.
In 2019, a hair discrimination bill written by Senator Holly J. Mitchell, a black woman with locs, was passed. California’s CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Actensures protection against hair discrimination by extending statutory protection to hair texture and styles in the Fair Employment and Housing Act and State Education Codes.
Since the bill was introduced in 2019, twenty other states have also adopted the bill. In addition, Senator Cory Booker has used his platform to introduce a federal version of the bill. If it is successful and passed, companies will not be able to reject a qualified applicant because of their natural hair. The bill will also apply to schools.
