It’s been one year since the controversial wrestling match at Buena Vista Regional High School in New Jersey that cost Andrew Johnson his dreadlocks. It was one of the incidences that inspired lawmakers to push policies that ban the discrimination of natural hair to the forefront and ultimately led to legislation that outlaws the behavior.
This month New Jersey became the third state alongside New York and California to pass a bill inspired by the CROWN Act, which prohibits discrimination based on the style or texture of someone’s hair. And as we reflect on the year’s biggest hair moment’s, we’d be remiss not to mention how instrumental the CROWN coalition, Dove, and politicians have been in creating a respectful and open world for natural hair.
In the Crown Research study conducted by Dove, eighty percent of the Black women surveyed felt they had to change their hair from its natural state to fit in at the office, but with the new laws in place we’re moving in a direction where Black women can celebrate their natural beauty without fear of scrutiny and discrimination.
“Discrimination against Black hair is discrimination against Black people. Implicit and explicit biases against natural hair are deeply ingrained in workplace norms and society at large. This is a violation of our civil rights, and it happens every day for Black people across the country,” said Presidential hopeful Cory Booker, who has taken the fight up to the federal level.
As we move into the new decade, you can help move the mission of banning natural hair discrimination forward by signing the petition here. There are three state states down, forty-seven to go.