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U.S. NEWS Thursday 4 July 2019
California becomes 1st state to ban hairstyle discrimination

By KATHLEEN RONAYNE cludes “traits historically
Associated Press associated with race,” in-
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) cluding hair texture and
— Gov. Gavin Newsom protective hairstyles. It fur-
signed into law Wednesday ther defines protective hair-
a bill making California the styles as braids, twists and
first state to ban workplace locks. The term locks, or
and school discrimination “locs,” is the preferred term
against black people for to dreadlocks, which has a
wearing hairstyles such as derogatory connotation.
braids, twists and locks. At Hunter-Ray’s studio, Ex-
The law by Democratic quisite U, on Wednesday,
Sen. Holly Mitchell of Los her stylists and customers
Angeles, a black woman reflected on the new law.
who wears her hair in locks, Shereen Africa, who was
makes California the first having her hair re-braided
state to explicitly say that by Elicia Drayton, said she
those hairstyles are associ- used to work at a television
ated with race and there- station in Mississippi where
fore protected against a black anchor quit after
discrimination in the work- facing resistance to wear-
place and in schools. ing her hair in locks. Africa
“We are changing the said she did not wear her
course of history, hope- hair in braids at the job,
fully, across this country by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, middle, signs State Bill, SB-188 Discrimination: hairstyles by state even though she wasn’t on
acknowledging that what Sen. Holly Mitchell of Los Angeles, third from left, that bans workplace and school discrimination air, because the environ-
has been defined as pro- against black people for wearing natural hairstyles, including locks and braids. ment wasn’t supportive of
fessional hair styles and at- Associated Press it.q
tire in the work place has a job because she refused
historically been based to change her hair.
on a Euro-centric model The issue burst into public
— based on straight hair,” view last December, when
Mitchell said. a black high school wres-
Stephanie Hunter-Ray, tler in New Jersey was told
who works at a makeup by a referee that he had
counter, says she typically to cut off his dreadlocks if
wears her hair braided or he wanted to compete.
in an afro, but one day she California’s Democratic
showed up to work with it governor said the video
straightened and styled in was a clear example of
a bob. Her manager told the discrimination black
Hunter-Ray her hair had Americans face. “His deci-
never looked so normal. sion whether or not to lose
“It bothered me,” Hunter- an athletic competition or
Ray said in an interview at lose his identity came into, I
the hair salon she owns in think, stark terms for millions
Sacramento that special- of Americans,” Newsom
izes in natural hair styles. said before signing the bill
“What do you mean by alongside Mitchell and half
‘normal?’ Your normal is a dozen advocates. “That
not my normal. My normal is played out in workplaces,
is my ‘fro or my braids.” it’s played out in schools —
Alikah Hatchett-Fall, who not just athletic competi-
runs Sacred Crowns Salon tions and settings — ev-
in Sacramento, said she’s ery single day all across
had black men come into America in ways subtle
her salon asking to have and overt.” Though Cali-
their hair cut off because fornia is the first state with
they can’t find jobs. such a law, New York City
California’s new law, which earlier this year issued le-
takes effect Jan. 1, is sig- gal guidance banning dis-
nificant because federal crimination against some-
courts have historically held one based on their hair-
that hair is a characteris- style. The beauty company
tic that can be changed, Dove is part of a coalition
meaning there’s no basis pushing for more hairstyle
for discrimination com- protections, and Mitchell
plaints based on hairstyle. said she hopes other states
The U.S. Supreme Court re- follow California. Mitchell’s
cently declined to hear the bill adds language to the
case of an Alabama wom- state’s discrimination laws
an who said she didn’t get to say that “race” also in- Opening Hours: Monday to Monday from 5:00 pm to 10:30 pm