For years, Black people have been expected to go to great lengths to conform to "professional" hairstyles, including using intensive chemical hair treatment products like relaxers and straighteners. But the reality is, there is no such thing as a more professional hairstyle at all. In fact, these expectations are simply rooted in white supremacy. It's time we fight back against this blatant racism and demand protections for natural hairstyles.
Sign now to demand the Missouri legislature pass the CROWN Act!
In a recent study, Black women were twice as likely to feel pressure to straighten their hair for work than their white counterparts. The same researchers found that in general, Black women are significantly more likely to feel anxiety about their hair than other racial groups. Yet unfair and inequitable hair requirements are still perfectly legal in the majority of states in the U.S. The only way to combat systemic racism is to address it systemically – and in this case, that means laws against hair discrimination!
No more Black people should have to deal with the unnecessary stress of accommodating a white supremacist culture that disrespects their hair texture and styles. To address this, several states across the country have passed the Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, making discrimination based on hairstyle illegal. The act has now been introduced into the Missouri legislature, and we must ensure it gets passed there, too! Sign the petition now if you agree!