The CROWN Act emerged due to Discrimination
Under House Bill (HB) 1444/Senate Bill (SB) 531, Maryland employers are prohibited from discriminating against individuals based on “certain traits associated with race, including hair texture and certain hairstyles.” (Maryland Legislature Passes Hairstyle Discrimination, Facial Recognition in Hiring, Retaliation, and Equal Pay Laws 2020)
Change is Coming
For centuries it’s been lawful to discriminate based on our hair texture. The CROWN Act is working to eradicate race-based discrimination.
Wear your CROWN, because Change is Coming
The CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” is a law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination, which is the denial of employment and educational opportunities because of hair texture or protective hairstyles including braids, locs, twists or bantu knots.
Being Natural and Black
As a Black woman with natural hair, I fully support the passage of this law, which would make me feel seen and my fears understood. But this bill will not end hair discrimination. However, it might start a culture shift so that as a society, we may understand that however people choose to wear their hair, particularly in its natural state, shouldn’t be deemed as negative. It’s just the way we were born and choose to express ourselves.