The Equality Hair Report 2019 states that one in six children have had a bad or very bad experience at school with their Afro-textured hair and identity. When surveyed, 46 percent of parents said that their children’s school policy penalized Afro-textured hair.
Last week, we saw such penalties carried out at a Texas primary school when school officials asked the grandmother of a 4-year-old African-American student to braid her grandson’s shoulder-length hair or cut it off.
A similar policy was enforced earlier this year at a New Jersey high school when a referee told a student wrestler that he would have to cut his dreadlocks to compete.
Hair discrimination is prevalent, and that’s why World Afro Day (WAD), a holiday that aims to promote education and appreciation for Afro hair across the globe is essential.
The official day to observe WAD was September 15, so if you missed out on the celebration, join us on a trip down memory lane as we revisit all the beautiful Afros we spotted during New York Fashion Week.
While there’s still a lot of work to be done surrounding the discrimination of Afro-textured hair in society, the SS20 runway shows were one place where it was embraced—proving that our kinks, coils and curls are always in style.
See all the fabulous fros in the gallery below.
