A Public Service Announcement

In Glamour magazine's September issue, women of color shared their experiences of discrimination based on their hair. In a PSA, actresses Gabrielle Union, Uzo Aduba, Marsai Martin, and Keke Palmer tell the stories of 13 black women who have been questioned or belittled because of the way their hair was styled. From being told that their hair looks "more professional" pulled back to having the ends of their braids snipped off because they were "too loud" in a classroom, hair has been a discriminating factor for many women of color. In the video, Keke Palmer says:

"My hair has a purpose greater than myself, and I will not put it away to comply with white culture standards of beauty."

Uzo Aduba adds:

"Black women have also reported they are one and a half times more likely to be sent home from work simply because of their hair."

What is the Crown Act?

The September issue is titled Our Hair Issue, and it details discrimination in the work place, and in society, based on hair. iThe women on the cover have all worked different jobs, but the one thing that they have in common is that they have all been made to feel that their hair should be worn differently. The magazine highlights the stories of these women to spread awareness for the passage of the Crown (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act.

The Crown Act would make it illegal for people to be discriminated against for their hair in the workplace and in schools. It has been passed in 7 states so far, including California, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Washington.

To help end hair discrimination, you can sign a petition at thecrownact.com.