A Mississippi student was forced to remove the beads in her hair before being allowed to compete in last year’s powerlifting state championship. Advocates say she was a victim of discrimination, and are calling for a Crown Act to protect students and workers from similar scenarios. Cassandra Welchlin with the Mississippi Black Women’s Round Table says the natural ways textured hair grows are often deemed ‘unprofessional’.
Welchlin says “There’s nothing wrong with our hair. It’s straight, it’s curly, it’s all those different things. So we are bringing awareness tonight at this launch of the Crown and Glory Expo, bringing awareness and starting community conversations so that we can get a law that will keep businesses and other organizations from discriminating against our hair.”
During the expo, hair experts shared their experience with textured hair and its diverse needs. They also discussed concerns with how few jurisdictions require licensed hair stylists to be adequately trained on textured hairstyles.
Representative Orlando Paden of Clarksdale has introduced a Crown Act bill for the past three years, but the measure has never been taken up in the chamber. He says this year was no different.
“The leadership doesn’t understand, nor do they want to take the bill up,” says Paden. “The particular is that this bill will transform the lives of African Americans, African descent individuals. It will show that Mississippi is inclusive of everyone no matter what their hairstyle is.”
Louisiana is one of the most recent states to pass a crown act, and there are no federal protections for hair.
