The House on Friday passed legislation that would ban discrimination against people based on their black hairstyles.
Crown is an acronym standing for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural black hairstyles. The bill would prohibit ‘discrimination based on an individual’s texture or style of hair.’
If the Crown Act (H.R. 2116) becomes law, discrimination against people based on their hair would be treated as discrimination on the basis of race or national origin under federal civil rights law.
The legislation states that ‘routinely, people of. African descent is deprived of educational and employment opportunities’ for wearing their hair. In natural or protective hairstyles such as loss, cornrows, twists, braids. Bantu knots and Afros.
Crown Act passed largely among party lines in a 235-189 vote.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer urged his colleagues to vote for the bill, citing that the military took steps to end hair discrimination last year.
‘If anybody thinks this isn’t a real issue, obviously the military thought it was an issue. And it was an important enough issue they took action,’ Hoyer, who is white, said.
Only 14 of 188 Republicans joined Democrats in support of the bill.
The piece of legislation, which President Joe Biden has urged lawmakers to pass, will now move to the Senate.
‘Well,’ she added, ‘that’s discrimination.’
House Republicans questioned the need for the legislation, many saying they believe existing laws that ban race-based discrimination should cover the issue.
‘It’s covered. It’s wrong if it happens,’ said. Representative Jim Jordan, the top Republican on the. House Judiciary Committee and an Ohio Republican.
Jordan spent much of his remarks making the case that the. House should be considering legislation related to inflation or historically high gas prices instead.
Over a dozen US states have passed similar laws on their own accord looking to end hair discrimination, including New Jersey, California, and New York.
Most recently in Massachusetts, where the state’s own version of the. The state saw a push in advocacy for the legislation after two.