Joshua David Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvaniasigned a law that prohibits, no matter how loudly it may be heard, discrimination based on hair.
According to the state president’s office, in 2022, 916 complaints related to racial discrimination related to hair texture and protective hairstyles arose.
Faced with this situation, the 52-year-old democrat decided to approve the so-called Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, which prohibits discrimination based on hair.
“True freedom means being respected for who you are, no matter what you look like, where you come from, who you love or who you pray to. For too long, many residents of Pennsylvania have suffered discrimination simply for wearing hairstyles that reflect their identity and culture; “That ends today,” he said in a statement.
Adjoa B. Asamoah, one of the defenders of racial equity and who promoted the CROWN Law, pointed out in a statement that the African-American community has been one of those affected by discrimination based on hair.
“Too many Black children have been suspended and lost valuable instructional time because their hairstyle, styled in line with their racial identity, has been deemed a violation of school rules. Too many Black adults have been passed over for promotions, had job offers rescinded, and even been fired for presenting themselves authentically,” he wrote.
Upon passage, the CROWN Act will prevent employers from discriminating against employees or applicants based on their hair texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, dreadlocks, twists and knots.
It should be noted that in 2019, a version of the CROWN Act passed the House of Representatives. However, almost three years later it was blocked in the Senate.
Democrat Bonnie Watson Coleman, senator from New Jersey, described as reprehensible the fact that, in a country like the United States, people are discriminated against because of their hair or how they decide to style it.
“We can’t control how our hair grows, any more than we can control the color of our skin. Discrimination based on hair texture is racial discrimination, plain and simple.
“No one deserves to be denied the opportunity to thrive at work, excel in school, or contribute their talent to the world simply because of their hair,” he said in a statement.
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