Posted on 02/28/2020 11:41:41 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
EVANSVILLE, Ind., -- Nearly half of state legislatures will consider bills in the near future to protect a person's right to wear hair naturally.
The bills -- introduced in 24 states -- are modeled after a California law put into effect Jan. 1 that bans discrimination based on hairstyle.
Proponents say employers, and even schools districts, often ban hairstyles historically worn by racial minorities -- like braids, dreadlocks and twists.
"Our hairstyles influence the way employers and teachers treat us," said Courtney McKinney, a spokeswoman for the Western Center on Law and Poverty, which advocated for the California law along with several other organizations.
"It can impact your education and your ability to get a job. That's why we need laws to protect our right to wear our hair the way it grows out of our heads," McKinney said.
Hair discrimination against black people has a long history in the United States.
Before the Civil War, enslaved people from Africa, for whom long hair was culturally important, were forced to shave their heads, said Wisconsin state Rep. LaKeshia Myers, a Democrat who introduced legislation to protect natural hairstyles.
"No child should be stopped from learning because of their hair," said Jade Magnus Ogunnaike, the campaign director for Color of Change, an online racial justice organization.
The push to pass such legislation is being spearheaded by a group called the CROWN Coalition, which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural hair.
Color of Change is a CROWN Coalition founding member, Ogunnaike said. Other founders are are Dove, the Western Center on Law & Poverty and the National Urban League.
The coalition, which formed about two years ago, chose to begin in California.
(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...
What about nose hair? Can we braid it?
I wouldn’t want to sit behind that at the movies. If I still went to movies, that is.
This is why I ultimately have little hope for our future; with all that is going on this is what concerns some local governments and the media.
Really??? Hair styles are the most important issues we have to deal with? I’m sure all the underfed children are relieved to know that their plight is not too bad.
So people will style their hair in the most outrageous ways possible so that when they don’t get hired they can file discrimination suits and cash-in.
Anymore it’s all just a full-employment program for lawyers.
Yeah, that's the problem preventing kids from learning: hair.
Natural = unkempt?
But I think braids and dreadlocks look neat.
Also believing in small, limited, non intrusive government, it is sad we have reached the point where we have to have a law to protect hair.
You hairdo is part of American freedom.
Just make them shave it off and all will be fine.
If you want to see ‘natural hair’ look at a homeless person.
As long as they ban man buns I’m fine with it...
Have you seen the children? Show me one "underfed" child.
Cool, and if customers just don’t care to be around people with certain hair-styles, I guess they can find a new job to pay for their hair care.
I don’t care how you define it - braiding hair isn’t “natural”, neither are dreads.
Oh man, you've triggered flashbacks to the 60s beehives.
Yeah, because this issue is the most compelling challenge we face.../s
Idiots.
On the other hand, part of that freedom and limited government thing should also mean a business owner should be free to hire whoever he wants for whatever reasons.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.