It may seem unimportant, but hair represents a certain kind of pride in one’s roots, the ability to make choices regarding one’s body, and acts as a symbol of a society’s self-esteem.
However, did you know that many black people are still being judged about their hair in America today? Individuals are turned away from school or jobs based on what looks like a simple request, “Our grooming policy does not accept natural hairstyles, Afros, Bantu knots, or locks.”
Prohibiting people from wearing natural hairstyles or hair of a particular texture in the workplace is labeled hair discrimination. Some even call it racism.
This article defines hair discrimination and provides examples of what it entails. We ask whether hair discrimination is a form of racism and identify initiatives like the Crown Act, which seeks to deal with this issue. The article also looks at the legal resources available to those discriminated against.
