Afro, beehive, crew cut, mullet—hairstyles can reflect fashion, grooming, background, and preference. Sometimes they’ve revealed class, gender, or religion too. But cultural bias against certain styles is making the topic of hair a bit tangled.
It’s hard to fathom, but examples of hair bias are many:
Teachers tell Native American students their hair is a distraction.
A black TV journalist goes natural with her curls. Her boss says she looks “unprofessional,” and she loses her job.
A Native American worker is told his heritage Mohawk isn’t respectable.
A referee tells a black high school wrestler to cut his locs (the preferred term to dreadlocks) or forfeit.
These are all real cases in the United States. They’re sad examples of unkindness and a failure to embrace the biblical ideal of doing to others what you would want done to you. (Matthew 7:12)
Now several organizations are pushing for more protections against what they call race-based hair discrimination. Their movement is CROWN: “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.” CROWN wants employers and educators to stop making decisions based on someone’s hair texture or style.
Last year, California became the first state to ban workplace and school discrimination against black people for wearing certain styles like braids, bantu knots, locs, or twists.
California Senator Holly Mitchell explains that the law states that those hairstyles are linked to race—therefore protected against discrimination.
“We are changing the course of history, hopefully, . . . by acknowledging that what has been defined as professional hairstyles and attire in the workplace has historically been based on a [European] model—based on straight hair,” Mitchell says.
Earlier this year, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed a version of what’s become known as the CROWN Act. California, Colorado, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia have all passed similar laws.
Hair rights advocates have also made a proposal in New Mexico. The ruling specifically addresses Native American hairstyles.
“Hair discrimination for people of color in New Mexico is real,” says Aja Brooks, NM Black Lawyers Association President.
Texas high school senior DeAndre Arnold started wearing locs in seventh grade. His father is from Trinidad. Locs are part of Arnold’s heritage and identity.
But last year, school officials decided Arnold wouldn’t be allowed to graduate with his long locs—even tied up on top of his head during school hours. The decision drew ire and attention nationwide.
Arnold hopes to be a vet someday. “I don’t want to be famous,” he says. But he adds, “Hopefully, I’m the catalyst for more cultural acknowledgment and less cultural ignorance.”
So sad
I mean, judging people by their skin is terrible, but their hair? That's just wrong. I think African American hair is gorgeous. God says that during the revelation ALL peoples of ALL nations that he made will come together to glorify him. And I bet Jesus and Adam and Eve had fairly dark skin. No offense to anyone.
this is Mylee
I think that it doesn't matter about what hair style they wear and stuff. I mean like not just native Americans and black people. But everyone. I do think that some places want nicer hair. Like Men with really long hair in a bun or pony tail,Or Girls with mo hawks or really short hair,Or men with long long beards they might want like nicer hair for like nice restraunts . My cousins school doesn't allow died hair unless in locs like the one in some of the pictures.
Ridiculous
This is......ridiculous...
I mean, people can do whatever they want with their hair! I don't necessarily like Mohawks because they are a symbol of rebellion, and I think girls should have long hair, but everyone should get to chose how they do their hair!! I agree with London and Naomi!
Oops I mean Mylee
Oops I mean Mylee
I agree with all of the above
I thought we lived in a free country where people could wear their hair however they wanted. I agree that if you work in a resturant you shouldn't have a mohawk, but i don't have a problem with died hair.
@Above
We don't dye our hair, I just like mine its regular color any way!! But I think that people should be able to do with their hair what they want to. Now, I don't necessarily like the look of men with long hair and buns, or girls with shaved heads, but hey, if that is what they chose, then fine. It is not me. I agree with everyone above. So I guess that means we are all thinking the same things. I also think African American hair is pretty. It is so cool that they can do hairstyles and braids without having to use hair bands!
oh come on...
this is just ridicules. I hate racism, I don't care who knows it. I am writing a play about racism, and who ridicules it is!
*how
*how
That's ridiculous that people
That's ridiculous that people are being discriminated because of their hair
this is Mylee
ya Sarah I don't have a problem with died hair either. My cousin just wanted to die her hair and her school won't let her. Unless it was in locs like the tiny braids. Its ok N@M A it happens a lot because we use the same account lol.
@ Addison L
You write plays? That's cool. Me and my friends have so far done one play with all our little sibs. I am writing two right now. I hope your play goes well! I think that is a really cool topic.
Why can’t ppl just accept
Why can’t ppl just accept that there’s different people with different hair and skin colour? It’s soo simple!
13th comment P.S. This is Caro
Seriously?!!? That is nuts that people are discrimanating because of hair! @Naiomi That would make sense because they lived in the middle east! @N&M. A I like long hair, but I don't really care if girls have short hair. My younger sister keeps her's shortish because she doesn't like pony tails or braids, and it drives her crazy when it's long. And the same for my older sister, she cut her's really short cause it was driving her crazy and she likes it short. No offense! Just wanted to let you know my opinion! :)
@ Caro
Ya, but they didn't have a country or language or anything. they were the first humans! But I do wonder how humans skin color changed over time. like, some skin got darker and some lighter.
Why would somebody even care?
Why would somebody even care? It’s rude and ridiculous. God says not to glorify yourself more than him, but other than that people should be allowed to do whatever they want with their hair.
this is Mylee
Riley D, I agree. Their hair is so pretty! My Dads fires station won't let them have beards. Cadence I love your name I know someone named Kadence lol
Whhat?!
That's plain ol crazy! Sometimes, different hairstyles are needed for different nationalities. Where's all the common sense gone in this world? Help us God!
Thx mylee
Thx mylee
@Caro and Tommy
Yeah, I just meant girl shouldn't cutting their hair with the intent of looking like a boy.
Hair
My dad is black and my mom is white with curly hair so my hair is very curly. I wear it in braids all the time and right now it is pulled back in a puffy ponytail. This is the weirdest thing I have seen in a while. What would you like us to do with our hair!!!!!!!!!!!! It is very tangled and curly and hard to manage!! We are just doing what works for us!!
@CaroandTommy
Yeah, I also meant girls cutting their hair to look like a boy. My best friend likes her hair long, but her two sisters hate it long and keep it really short, like shoulder length or sometimes just a tad shorter. But they still look like girls that way, so that is fine. Not my choice, but hey, I am not them, and they are not me!
I think that's a bit silly
I think that's a bit silly unless you go to a christian school where they want you to look like Godly men and women. I mean, it's a bit hard for parents who are protective of their kids to send them to a school where girls have shaved heads and such(No offense). I also think that the reporters are only telling us about the injustice to (Excuse me) African-Americans, not everyone else. There are probably loads of (Excuse me again) white people who get made fun of because of their hair. It's not just one group. some people just like making a big deal about some things because it gets people excited. They also leave other things out because it changes the meaning.
I hope i'm not offending
I hope i'm not offending anybody, but i think racism is just person A saying something about person B (and maybe not thinking about how he said it) and person B takes it the wrong way and gets offended (understandably) and all his friends try to protect him. pretty soon, everyone knows person A isn't a "Good person" and all person A's friends are "bad" too and then everyone forgets what they were fighting about. again, i hope i didn't offend anyone.
I have a question
Is it offensive to call someone black? It's not offensive to me if someone calls me white, but I wish people wouldn't destinguish everyone by their skin color. I mean, most people aren't even really white or black! I'm fairly tan, and my little sis is very pale, but we aren't white. and my friend who is african american is not black! I just don't get why you would call someone that! But I also don't know what else you would call everyone. African Americans and Europeans? idk. No offense to anyone!
this is Mylee
ya i agree to Lacy M. Also Naomi ya we are all different shades of brown . I D K if it is rude or not I just say African Americans.
What next, eggs in their hair?
This might be hard for people who want to hire someone who doesn't look ridiculous. I mean, if someone doesn't want to hire someone because he wears braids and dyes his hair pink, he should be able to at least tell him to have a more respectable hairstyle. But this bill will probably ban the guy from not wanting to hire him because of his hair style. Anyways, that's my opinion.
Its a mater of the rules.
My mom say it depends on what the rules are to wear your hear the way you want. For example, wearing long hair while working at a restaurant is against health regulations.
Sorry. I meant hair in the
Sorry. I meant hair in the first line.
Ohh, I get what's going on!
In the old days, lots of people were treated differently based on the color of their skin, and it was wrong!
You're all right.
All these comments you all wrote are right! It's terrible to treat people by their skin!
@Naomi
I'm not offended is someone calls me white, in reality, not many people are actually white like the white of the background of this article. My dad is from South America so he has brown skin, my friend who is African American is not actually black. I know some people who get offended is you call them black and once when I was in 3rd grade I was talking to a girl and I said something about being white and she got mad...
@ N&M. A
oh okay. So like, it just depends?
No
We can't ban every type of discrimination, like if we banned saying Ok boomer, that is the SAME THING as this, I agree that discrimination is bad but we don't really need to make laws on it, essecialy thingas like hair. Like say I ran a law firm, I want to look respectible. I am not going to hire a lady who's hair is blue and is in a mohawk. It is simply bad buisness. I don't care how good she is. It gives a disadvantage in court if you don't look respectable, that is why lawers wear suits!
@ Matthew N
I agree on being respectable and stuff but some of these cases are about someone being forced to change their natural hair, about changing the way God made them. I don't think that is respectable to anyone. I think it just depends on the circumstance. No offense!
@Naomi D
I don't care if anyone calls me white. I have all European blood in me anyway. But sometimes I say African American, and sometimes I say black. I don't think it is wrong, and I am not racist. I believe that all people should be treated fairly, and that everyone is the same in the eyes of God!!! I think that the African-Americans are going about this the wrong way. They should try to be proud of their color and ancestors and history. And I don't think white people should put them down because of their skin color. They are just as good as we are. No race is better than another in certain ways. God made us all and he loves us ALL, white AND black, the same. Think of the "Jesus Loves the Little Children" song......
@ Riley D
Ya I don't either. I am about 1/3 German and something Irish, so ya, mostly European, but I am also 1/16 Native American. The only reason I would not want to be called white is just because of how cruel some people were back then to African/Americans. But ya We should be glad of who God made us.
Family
I mean my dad is from Argentina and my mom is from America but I look white. I don't care if people call me white. . .
@Naomi
Yeah ig
My hair, idk
I always put it in a ponytail so you probably won't tell it's wavy.
My mom never lets me cut my hair shoulder length. I keep it long.
Once my hair grew down to below my hips!
judging..judging..judging sadness
Judging people by there skin is bad .. but hair? have any of you heard the song" we all bleed the same?" i think so many people just judge people by looks and not by who they are . judging is just WRONG! * mic drop*
My hair...
I usually part my hair on the side and pull it back with a rubber band...so I looks lopsided on zoom lol xD
@all
This is just crazyyyyy!! people shouldn't even have to have talks about why criticizing hairstyle is racist, that is just obvious. Also i think that it is funny that like 9/10 of everyone commenting are girls. LOL XD (btw u guys all do XD wrong) lol
@Warren
"XD" must be exaggerated as "xD" xP xP
@Warren C
Yeah, it is probably because most boys don't really care about hair!! That is funny though!! I don't care too much about mine, I almost always have it in a bun. I just don't want it crazy looking or something. I like to look well-groomed, if you know what I mean.
i am the same way!!!! but why
i am the same way!!!! but why do people only focus on their diferancecs (sorry for my spelling) ;)have you ever heard f toby mac? well his new song i'm sorry he said the color of skin the clothes we are in that valy is deep and wide and i am so sad because a feel bad for others who this happens to all the time they are people not animals!!!! we are all brown but judt diferant shade of it
so, i did not really read
so, i did not really read this but- i think its about hair so, hm, lil meme story thing i like doing-Me: opens new hair shop, okay perfect and now new customers, ..soon..hopefully...*1 enternity later* *some 1 walks by, oh i do need a haircut, and a fancy look, for meh date tonight, Girl: walks in ME: yasss finally a customer! Girl: hello, i would like a haircut and for u to braid it in a french braid, pls Me: of course *grabs scissors* *cuts hair, oops, no that won't work, *accidentally cuts all hair off* Me: oh crap-.. Girl: looks in mirror *screams and all of the glass breaks*..Me: heh heh i actually never cut hair before ;v; l|l Girl: omg and my date is about to arrive Guy; arrives..uhh what happen to ur hair Girl: ugh she happened!! Me: *whistles and scoots away* Guy: im sorry but i don't think this will work out, #Villager news- villager- i wanna know what love is i want u to show meee.. well- love is when u go to a hair salon and get ur hair cut off and get ur heart broken..*sad music plays, turn gray and white, you act like ur fine but ur not really fine..XDDDD- well i hope i made yah guys laugh
this is Mylee
?
@uhh, some people xD
I just have my hair down usually... whenever I put it up I have like hair that hangs down at the sides that I don't really like. My hair used to be super long but then I cut it too my shoulders and temporarily dyed the tips tangerine. Now it is longer. I have like, brown straight hair with like, gold I guess streaks even though I didn't bleach it so it's weird and I don't know why I am telling everyone this but whatever. @Warren I think it's just that boys don't care about hair idk do they? My best friend's hair is long, Red and SUPER curly and it's so gorgeous but she hates it sadly. @ Kylie Yes that was funny lol!
This is silly there is only
This is silly there is only two things that a person should rule how they have there hair The Bible says that it is a shame for men to have long hair and it is a shame for a woman to have her head shaven or something like that (1 Corinthians 11) it also says that ( and this is actual scripture) But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.”
1 Corinthians 11:5
No offense this is just my two cents
Edit : to above notice that
Edit : to above notice that it said it is not a sin for men to have long hair just a shame because if it was a sin why did Samson have long hair?
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