The CROWN Act is a California law which prohibits discrimination based on hair style and hair texture. It is the first legislation passed at the state level in the United States to prohibit such discrimination and its impact has inspired laws across the UK too. In fact, the Equality and Human Rights Commission had released resources back in 2022 that strictly outlined that “uniform and appearance policies that ban certain hairstyles, without the possibility for exceptions to be made on racial grounds, are likely to be unlawful.” Although this is not a law, it’s a step forward. So how are we still seeing Black women being scrutinised by how our hair naturally grows out of our heads.
When I first saw Simone’s courthouse ceremony pictures drop, my first thought was how happy she looked. I knew she’d met her boo and now husband on a dating app, and I was overjoyed to see a fellow Black girl who’s dedicated her whole life to her job, finally have the opportunity to focus on building her family. I was shocked that so many people chose to look past her contagious smile, and instead zoom in on the picture to criticise the natural nature of her afro hair.
One user on Twitter wrote: “she coulda at least got a lace front for her wedding like”. Others commented on how she “refuses to lay down her edges” and with “all the money she’s got, she could afford a hairstylist that didn’t hate her”, and the comments didn’t stop there. Many of which have now been deleted.
The fact that Simone is one of the most decorated female athletes in US history is nothing to scorn at, and it’s fair to note that even if she wasn’t an Olympic gold medalist, she is still not fair game for criticism involving her appearance. However there is something to say about the lack of protection and safeguarding of Black women in the media.
Simone, is not being the first person to encounter this, her peer, and fellow gymnast Gabby Douglas went through the same level of online bullying for her hair during the height of her career. The criticism they both received all around how they may, or may not have laid their baby hairs down, is uncalled for and something familiar to many Black women.
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