Florida bill that would ban hair discrimination set to be introduced again next year

Erica Van Buren, Fort Myers News-Press
·4 min read
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The CROWN Act bill, which would prohibit hair discrimination, will be re-introduced during the Florida Legislature next year.

CROWN is an acronym for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. The bill failed for the third time during the 2022 session. The bill died in the community affairs committee. It was sponsored this year in the House by Rep. Kamia L. Brown-D, Orlando. Sen. Randolph Bracy, also a Democrat representing Orlando, was the Senate sponsor for the bill, SB 1608.

Brown said she would re-introduce it in 2023.

The CROWN Act is supported by the CROWN Coalition, founded by Dove, the National Urban League, Color Of Change and Western Center on Law and Poverty. The bill aims to eliminate the stigma attached to natural Black hair.

Monique Smith, owner of Beauty, Braids and Beyond, puts in a two-strand twist style for Keesha Metcalfe of Lehigh Acres. Smith, of Fort Myers, offers an array of services including knotless braids, lemonade braids, tribal braids and box braids.
Monique Smith, owner of Beauty, Braids and Beyond, puts in a two-strand twist style for Keesha Metcalfe of Lehigh Acres. Smith, of Fort Myers, offers an array of services including knotless braids, lemonade braids, tribal braids and box braids.

Monique Smith, owner of Beauty, Braids, and Beyond located in Fort Myers, said it’s important that Florida passes this bill into law.

“I think that it's ludicrous that we as a culture have to have a bill passed in order to wear our natural hair,” said 42-year-old-Smith. "As far as a country, there's still work that needs to be done. It’s extremely important that this bill is passed so that people can rock their natural hair without being scrutinized.”

According to the CROWN Act website, Black women are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair, and 80 percent of Black women feel that they have to change their hair from its natural state in order to fit in at the office. And Black women are 30 percent more likely to be made aware of a formal work-place appearance policy.

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Hair bias and discrimination most often occur during the elementary school years and can occur as early as five years old, according to the Dove research study. Sixty-six percent of Black girls in majority-white schools report experiencing hair discrimination. Thirty-two percent of Black girls state that negative comments about their hair make them feel bad about themselves.

Smith has worked as a hair care professional for about 20 years and has owned her salon for 15 years.

“People shouldn’t have to feel as though they don’t meet what’s considered the professional standard if they choose to wear their hair naturally,” said Smith. "I think it's a never-ending conversation. When you look at shows like Real Housewives of Atlanta you rarely see them wear their natural hair because society doesn't consider natural hairstyles acceptable."

Smith said a lifechanging event caused her to wear her hair naturally.

"When I went through chemo I lost my hair," said Smith. "I made the decision to no longer relax my hair and instead rock my hair naturally. It's a sense of power. When I look in the mirror and I see my hair in its natural state I'm more confident. I'm unapologetic and comfortable in my own skin. It's an awakening when a woman embraces her natural hair."

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a federal version of the bill in March, 235-to-189, and comes after other versions of the bill failed to muster enough votes. H.R. 2116 was introduced this year by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-New Jersey. The bill now heads to the Senate. Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, sponsored the bill.

Stylist Charrell Brown works on kids braids on Wednesday, July 6 2022. She braided in cornrows and box braids. Brown is a stylist at Monique Smith's shop Beauty, Braids and Beyond in Fort Myers, Florida.
Stylist Charrell Brown works on kids braids on Wednesday, July 6 2022. She braided in cornrows and box braids. Brown is a stylist at Monique Smith's shop Beauty, Braids and Beyond in Fort Myers, Florida.

So far 16 states have passed a form of the bill including California, Maryland, New York, Washington, Maryland, New Mexico, Maine and Connecticut.

July 3 is known as National Crown Day also known as Hair Independence Day marks the third anniversary of the Crown Act bill introduced and passed in California.

Brown said, “This is not just a bill about hair, this is a bill about redefining our standards of beauty and professionalism to include Black individuals.

"This bias is based on generations of racial prejudice, and so I will sponsor this bill again and again until we can proudly present our natural hair in the workplace and in schools without discrimination, just like everybody else.”

Erica Van Buren is the Underserved Communities Reporter for The News-Press and Naples Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at EVanBuren@gannett.com or on Twitter: @EricaVanBuren32

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: CROWN Act: Bill banning hair discrimination to be reintroduced in 2023