House passes bill to prohibit discrimination based on hair

WASHINGTON — Black people who wear hairstyles like Afros, cornrows or tightly coiled twists should not face bias in society, school and the workplace, the U.S. House said Friday in voting to make it explicit that such discrimination is a violation of federal civil rights law. “Well, that’s discrimination.” The House voted 235-to-189 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of hair texture and hairstyles. “Fourteen months of chaos and we’re doing a bill on hair.” But House Democrats noted that, in several instances, judges have dismissed civil rights cases on the basis that the law does not directly cover discrimination on the basis of hair. An Associated Press investigation documented how some Black female service members faced discrimination in the ranks, navigating a culture that often labeled them as “aggressive or difficult” and their natural hair as unkempt or unprofessional. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, the lead sponsor in the Senate, said passage of the bill will should ensure that all people can “wear their hair proudly without fear or prejudice.” “No one should be harassed, punished, or fired for their natural hairstyles that are true to themselves and their cultural heritage,” Booker said.