Crowning Glory?

Why I have mixed feelings about the CROWN Act

Author

Sharon Hurley Hall
June 15, 2022 • Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

Hello friends,

It’s old news now, but the CROWN Act was passed in the USA - finally! I should be feeling joy about that, right? And yet, I’m not - not totally. Let me explain.

I’m happy that, after a long battle, Black people in the US have some legislative protection against the deprofessionalisation of our hair. I’m happy they have that legal redress.

But that doesn’t mean they (we) won’t face microaggressions related to their hair. It doesn’t mean certain beautiful hairstyles won’t get side-eye from white colleagues. It sure won’t stop certain white people from making free with their glorious tresses. And it still may not stop Black kids getting hassled about their hair in schools, though it should. All it does is provide some legal protection. That’s important, because without it you get all kinds of nonsense happening.

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