PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Surrounded by women in braids, locs, twists and coils in a West Philadelphia hair studio, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed into law the CROWN Act, prohibiting discrimination based on hair type, texture and style.
The new law makes it illegal to discriminate against anyone because of their hair by amending the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to clarify that ‘race’ also means racialized traits like hairstyle.
Standing with the governor at Island Design Natural Hair Studio was the bill’s prime sponsor, state Rep. LaTasha Mayes, a West Philadelphia legislator who now represents parts of Pittsburgh.
“As mother and daughter, we struggle with our hair,” Mayes said. “It is as complex as the story of Black people and our story in this nation, especially for Black women and girls in America.”
As Mayes spoke, her two-year-old played with her black and brown locs.
“So for every child, every worker, every person who faced an indignity because of race-based hair discrimination, that ends today. Every curl, every kink, every coil, every strand of natural hair is now protected.”
State House Speaker Joanna McClinton, who represents parts of West Philly, celebrated the bill as liberating Black women from those pressures.
“Wherever you work or wherever you're applying for a job, they will not look at your hair and decide you can't work here,” she said. “They will not look at your hair and decide you don't belong in this C-suite. They will not look at your hair and say you can't be in the boardroom.”
The law specifically calls out some of the most common hairstyles specifically coded as Black, including locs, braids, twists, coils, Bantu knots, afros, and extensions.
Lorraine Ruley, the owner of Island Design, said her customers come to her to celebrate their hair with those kinds of styles, but too often they come back with bad news.
“I have to cut my locs down because my job says it’s too long,” she said, illustrating the kinds of complaints they bring to her. “I have to cut my locs because of my job. They’re saying it's unprofessional to have locs.”
Dr. Adjoa Asamoah has been leading the charge to address racial hair discrimination since 2018, and she was proud to make those kinds of interactions a thing of the past.
“Too many black adults have been passed over for promotions, had offers of employment rescinded and even been fired for showing up authentically,” she said.
Echoing the Black women around him, Gov. Shapiro was plain in saying that was why he signed the bill.
“That’s unacceptable,” he said simply.
The law also includes specific language prohibiting discrimination based on religious head coverings and hairstyles.
With the governor’s signature, Pennsylvania joins two dozen other states in having a version of the law on the books.