Why Hair Freedom Still Matters
In a world that celebrates diversity on billboards and Instagram feeds, Black people—especially Black women—are still fighting for something as basic as hair freedom. From school suspensions over locs to job rejections due to natural afros, the right to wear one’s hair naturally and proudly remains a contested space. At the center of this fight stands the CROWN Act, a legislative effort that seeks to redefine professionalism, dignity, and personal autonomy in workplaces, schools, and society at large.
What Is the CROWN Act?
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The CROWN Act stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.” It is a law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination, specifically targeting biases against protective styles such as braids, locs, twists, and afros. First introduced in California in 2019, the legislation was spearheaded by the CROWN Coalition, which includes organizations like the National Urban League, Color of Change, and Dove.
The law makes it illegal to deny opportunities to individuals based on hair textures and styles commonly associated with their race. In simple terms, it protects the right to be natural—and it makes hair freedom a legal standard, not just a social wish.
The Legacy of Policing Black Hair
The need for such legislation underscores a long and painful history of regulating Black hair. In the 18th century, enslaved people in Louisiana were forced by law to cover their hair with tignons—headwraps intended to suppress expressions of beauty and autonomy. That control didn’t end with slavery. For decades, afros, dreadlocks, and cornrows were labeled unkempt or unprofessional, while straightened styles were rewarded with jobs and social acceptance.
Even today, studies show that Black women are more likely to face grooming policies at work, and are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home because of their hair. In schools, Black children have been suspended or excluded from extracurricular activities simply for wearing braids or fades. Hair freedom, it seems, is not something Black communities can take for granted.
A National Movement for Change
Since 2019, the CROWN Act has been adopted in over 20 U.S. states and introduced at the federal level. But its passage has not been universal. The delays in national adoption reveal how deeply entrenched racialized beauty standards remain.
Supporters argue that hair freedom is not a matter of style, but of civil rights. When a person is penalized for wearing their hair in its natural state, they are being asked to alter part of their identity to fit into environments shaped by Eurocentric norms. That isn’t just a dress code—it’s racial bias.
Hair Freedom as a Human Right
The movement for hair freedom is about more than legal protection. It is about empowerment, visibility, and belonging. It allows children to walk into classrooms without shame. It enables professionals to attend interviews with confidence. It affirms that beauty is not measured by conformity but by authenticity.
In 2022, Miss Massachusetts Teen USA winner Jae’lynn Chaney spoke openly about how wearing her natural curls during the pageant was a statement of resistance and pride. Artists, athletes, and influencers have similarly used their platforms to normalize natural hair and celebrate its heritage. This visibility challenges long-held stigmas and promotes a broader understanding of what professionalism and beauty can look like.
Resistance and the Road Ahead
Despite progress, pushback remains. Some opponents argue that the law creates unnecessary complications in grooming policies. Others claim it opens the door to subjectivity in professional standards. But these critiques often overlook the lived reality of discrimination and the psychological toll it takes on individuals forced to suppress their identity to succeed.
The fight for hair freedom is not just symbolic. It’s a stand against exclusion, against the subtle ways institutions reinforce racial inequality. As long as natural hair can cost someone a job, a scholarship, or their self-esteem, the need for laws like the CROWN Act will remain urgent.
Conclusion: More Than Hair
Hair freedom is about dignity, history, and power. The CROWN Act offers a legal foundation, but the broader goal is cultural change. It asks society to question why certain hairstyles are considered rebellious or unprofessional and whose standards we’re upholding when we make those judgments.
Until natural hair is no longer politicized or punished, the movement continues. Because in the end, hair freedom is about the right to simply be yourself—and to be seen, accepted, and respected exactly as you are.