Democratic lawmakers have launched a fresh bid to champion the rights of individuals facing discrimination based on hairstyle or hair texture. The CROWN Act of 2024, officially tagged as HR 819, was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives with New Jersey Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman at the helm. The bill seeks to establish nationwide protections and end hair-based discrimination by extending civil rights laws.
The re-emergence of the CROWN Act, short for "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair," brings renewed energy to a longstanding battle. The legislation currently boasts 84 co-sponsors. It aims to shield individuals with hairstyles commensurate with racial or national origins, such as locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, and Afros, from discrimination in various public domains.
The Struggle for Bipartisan Support
Watson Coleman highlighted the bill's essence, emphasizing society's richness stemming from its diversity. Along with celebrating the nation's multicultural tapestry, the CROWN Act aims to acknowledge and respect the variety of hair textures and styles inherent to cultural identities. Watson Coleman cited Black hair discrimination as a focal point of racial discrimination that the Act intends to eradicate.
Previous attempts to pass the federal CROWN Act have faltered amid congressional challenges, notably raising bipartisan support within a Republican-controlled House. Despite this hurdle, the bill has seen acknowledgments beyond party lines, with its Senate counterpart gaining bipartisan sponsorship from New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat, and Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine.
A National Cry for Hair Equality
The CROWN Act's journey has been marked by consistent effort and advocacy as the Congressional Black Caucus continues to press for the legislation's advancement. While federal momentum had stalled, state-level initiatives have taken the lead, with over 20 states passing their versions of CROWN Act laws. However, these state laws vary in the extent of protection offered.
The assertion that party politics do not bind hair discrimination underpins the bipartisan understanding that identity freedoms are quintessentially American. The Biden administration has previously explicitly supported the federal CROWN Act, signaling a unified executive branch's will to promote the effective implementation of the law upon its passage.
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The Core Support and Advocacy Behind the Movement
Core backing for the CROWN Act comes from civic organizations such as Dove, the National Urban League, Color of Change, and the Western Center on Law & Poverty. These original co-founders of the CROWN coalition, alongside several supporting entities, have been instrumental in challenging what are considered race-neutral grooming policies that perpetuate Eurocentric beauty standards.
Adjoa B. Asamoah, a co-founder of the CROWN coalition and a lead legislative strategist, recognized the hidden racial biases in grooming policies that uphold problematic ideals of beauty. Her advocacy highlights the necessity for proactive legislative measures to deconstruct systemic racism that finds expression in hair discrimination, creating social and economic disparagement for affected parties.
An Ongoing Need for Legal Protection
Despite some advancements at the state and local levels, the call for a comprehensive, unified federal law remains pressing. The CROWN Act of 2024 represents a vital step to recognizing and fighting subliminal and overt prejudices that affect the everyday lives of numerous Americans. The quest to end hair discrimination encompasses not just a style of hair but the affirmation of an inherent cultural identity, dignity, and equality in a nation whose pillars rest on diversity.
As the legislation gains traction and awareness spreads, advocates and lawmakers hope the tide will turn toward federal acceptance. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Whip Steve Scalise's offices have not yet responded to requests for comment, indicating the debate and negotiation that likely lie ahead in pursuing the CROWN Act's enactment.
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