Crown Act Part 1: Race Based Hair Discrimination - It Starts As Early as 5
Imagine showing up for a job interview for a position you know you are qualified to perform. You have the work and life experience, you exceed education requirements and you are an expert in your area. You leave the interview feeling confident that you slayed every question and presented all of your skills and capabilities.
A week later you get a call from HR informing you you didn't get the position. You ask for feedback about the interview and you were told "they went in a different direction and they didn't think you were a good fit." When asked for "coachable feedback" (because what the hell are you going to do with "they went in a different direction"...). HR then said "they went with someone who had a more polished and professional look that aligns with the company.
Hmmm...as crazy and far fetched as this story sounds, it happens and it happens all the time to black women because of how we wear our hair. This treatment, judgement and discrimination has become acceptable which is UNACCEPTABLE. If this has happened to you or you know someone who has experienced raced based hair discrimination then stay tuned to join the conversation and learn what we can all do about it.
Did you know 1 in 2 black girls can experience hair discrimination as early as 5?
It is sad that in our world discrimination can start as early as the innocent age of 5. This is the case with Race-Based Hair Discrimination. And while this type of discrimination starts at 5, we all know it lasts a lifetime - the impact, how frequently it happens, and the opportunities that we may never be exposed to due to ignorance and systemic racism.
Black women and girls are experiencing biases (both unconscious and conscious) and discrimination just for wearing hairstyles that are a part of us - a part of culture - a part of our self-expression. This is wrong on so many levels and that is why one company, DOVE in collaboration with the National Urban League, Color of Change, and Western Center on Law & Poverty, has co-founded the CROWN Coalition to advance anti-hair discrimination legislation called The CROWN ACT. The CROWN Act stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair and is a proposed law that prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and hair styles.
The CROWN Act was first introduced by Senator Holly J. Mitchell in California. California was the first state to sign. Since 2019, there have been 7 more states that have signed The CROWN ACT. Those states are CO, NY, NJ, WA, CT and VA, MD (represent).
While there has been progress against getting the CROWN ACT adopted there is still a lot of work to be done and YOU can help. There is a CROWN ACT petition that has already garnered about 334,00 signatures at the time of this video. These are voices that support making the CROWN ACT a federal law instead of letting states “optionally implement and enforce this bill.”
Use your voice, leverage social media, sign the petition, and let your representative know that hair-based discrimination is wrong, and to get other QUEENS to sign the CROWN ACT petition.
Let me know in the comments below how you feel about the CROWN Act. Have you experienced race based hair discrimination? How will you support the expansion of the CROWN Act? All the Queens in the Queendom want to know.
To keep the conversation going and if you have any questions, make sure you are following @AQueendomLIfe on Instagram and Facebook.
Until Next Time...Always Remember to Unleash Your Unique Beauty, Extend Your Outer Grace and Celebrate Each Other’s Uniqueness.