Kansas bill would ban discrimination against dreadlocks, other natural hairstyles
In Kansas, employers can fire people because of their dreadlocks or not hire them at all.
Many states are the same. One Missouri teen said in 2018 that an arcade refused to hire him because of his braids. That same year a Florida private school didn’t allow a 6-year-old to attend the first day of class. A New Jersey high school wrestler had to cut his dreadlocks last year or forfeit a match.
Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, a Wichita Democrat, is offering a bill to protect dreadlocks and other natural hairstyles under the state’s anti-discrimination law. The measure would expand the definition of race to include “traits historically associated with race” that include hair texture and styles. Braids, locs and twists are specifically mentioned.
Faust-Goudeau said she was moved to action by the New Jersey incident, when she saw the embarrassment of the young wrestler who had to endure a haircut before a crowd and cameras.
“The referee had to have someone come out and cut his dreadlocks off before he could participate in a school activity,” she said. “That’s sad. I actually teared up.”
Faust-Goudeau said she discussed the issue with several other African-American women, including Kenya Cox, executive director of the Kansas African-American Commission.
“She’d been contacted by young ladies from Kansas City, Kan. and Topeka, Kan. (including) one lady who was terminated from her place of employment because of her hairstyle,” Faust-Goudeau said. “I just think it’s totally unfair that we have to change our God-given look and hair that braids, natural hair.”
Shirley’s Kitchen Cabinet, a Kansas City-based group that advocates on behalf of black women, hailed the measure. In a statement, it said the legislation will prohibit employers from enforcing grooming policies that, while purportedly race neutral, disproportionately affect black women and other people of color.
“We are seeing more cases of discrimination based on natural hair styles in schools and work places and under current Kansas statute, this type of discrimination is totally legal,” said Amber Sellers of Shirley’s Kitchen Cabinet, which is named for Shirley Chisolm, the first black woman to serve in Congress and first woman to seek the Democratic presidential nomination.
Faust-Goudeau’s bill – Senate Bill 250 -- is similar to legislation approved in California, New York and New Jersey. The bills are broadly called the “Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural hair,” or CROWN Act. It has been introduced in 13 others, according to the CROWN Coalition, which campaigns for the laws nationwide.
Dove, the personal care products company, sponsored a 2019 survey of 1,000 black and 1,000 white women who were employed full-time in an office or sales setting, or had worked in a corporate office in the past six months. The survey found that black women’s hair was 3.4 times more likely to be perceived as unprofessional.
The survey also found that black women were 1.5 percent more likely to be sent home from the office because of their hair and 83 percent more likely to report being judged more harshly on their looks by other women.
Faust-Goudeau said that’s unacceptable and some African-Americans feel pressured to use chemicals or other means to straighten their natural hair in an effort to conform.
“From the top of your head, you’ve got to change the way you look to prevent being terminated or excluded from a place of employment or school activities, which is unfair,” she said. “We want people to feel comfortable in their own natural way in the workplace and in schools and anywhere.”
This story was originally published January 15, 2020 at 10:52 AM.
