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Resolution expressing support for CROWN Act legislation in the Wisconsin Legislature, 2023 Senate Bill 246 and 2023 Assembly Bill 240
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WHEREAS, despite great strides made by citizens, legislators, and courts to reverse and resolve the long-lasting damaging effects of racism, hair remains a source of racial discrimination with serious economic and health consequences, especially for Black individuals; and
WHEREAS, this sort of discrimination is encouraged by purportedly "race neutral" grooming and dress code policies in the workplace that enforce a Eurocentric image of professional hair. Enforcing an image of professionalism that was created with European features as the norm disparately affects individuals who do not naturally fall into that norm; and
WHEREAS, black women, adhering to such grooming policies, must often employ harmful styling practices like time consuming heat straightening, or chemical permanent relaxers, both of which can lead to hair damage and hair loss. Thus, braids, locks, and twists, also known as "protective hairstyles," are necessary for healthy black hair maintenance; and
WHEREAS, while anti-discrimination laws presently protect the choice to wear an afro, afros are not the only natural presentation of black hair. The CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural hair) will ensure protection against discrimination based on hairstyles by extending statutory protection to hair texture and protective styles in the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA); and
WHEREAS, adding hair texture and protective hairstyles as a protected class will prohibit an employer from withholding or terminating employment or promotion based on discrimination against the protected employee or applicant's hairstyle; and
WHEREAS, according to the Dove CROWN Research Study, black women are (1) made to be more aware of corporate grooming policies than white women, (2) hair is judged differently on black women, (3) workplace bias ...
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