A Florida senator says that he plans to introduce legislation that would protect individuals who wear their hair in styles associated with their cultural roots from discrimination. Senator Randolph Bracy III, who represents Florida’s State Senate District 11, hopes to see the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act passed during the upcoming 2020 legislative session. If the bill reaches the desk of Governor Ron DeSantis, it would prohibit discrimination in workplaces and public schools based on hairstyles such as dreadlocks, braids and twists.
Bracy announced his legislative push at an Orlando hair salon that caters to a predominantly African American clientele. He said that his decision to move forward with the bill was prompted by a recent series of events in Florida and around the country. The owner of the hair salon supports the CROWN Act, and she told reporters that many of her clients feel that wearing their hair in more conservative styles is necessary to fit in.
A local entrepreneur who recently became the first woman to be named Ms. Corporate America while sporting dreadlocks also supports Bracy’s bill. She says that laws such as the CROWN Act will provide long-term benefits by encouraging children to embrace, rather than shy away from, their heritage. She also told reporters that she thought long and hard before adopting a more natural hairstyle in 2007.
Workers who are treated unfairly or subjected to harassment based on their race or national origin may be wise to seek Boca Raton, Florida, workplace racial discrimination legal assistance. State and federal laws protect workers from such treatment, and employers can face serious sanctions for violating them. Allegations of racial discrimination could also damage corporate reputations. Attorneys seeking to avoid protracted court battles may point these considerations out to employers during settlement negotiations.
Source: WOGX-FOX-51, “Florida senator announces bill that would prohibit discrimination against natural hairstyles,” Sydney Cameron, Nov. 22, 2019
