New York City To Ban Hairstyle Discrimination [VIDEO]

The Wall Street Journal reports:

New York City is seeking to put an end to policies that restrict or ban natural hair and hairstyles closely connected to racial, ethnic and cultural identities. The New York City Commission on Human Rights issued new legal guidelines Monday clarifying that it considers such restrictions to be unlawful discrimination that disproportionately affects black people and those of African descent.

It crafted the new guidelines amid recently filed complaints about alleged discrimination based on natural hairstyles. The agency is now investigating seven such cases, it said. Among the examples of legal violations cited are grooming policies prohibiting twists, braids, cornrows, Afros and Bantu knots or practices requiring employees to straighten or chemically relax their hair. Potential violators could be businesses, employers, youth groups or sports teams.

Under new guidelines to be released by the New York City Commission on Human Rights, the targeting of people based on their hair or hairstyle, at work, school or in public spaces, will now be considered racial discrimination https://t.co/9ifpSkjRw5

— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 18, 2019

Hair discrimination disproportionately punishes Black people.

If you’re a New Yorker, you can now take legal action if you’ve been harassed, threatened, punished, demoted or fired because of the texture or style of your hair. https://t.co/Og9zSlcNhO

— ACLU (@ACLU) February 18, 2019