House Passes Anti-Hair Discrimination Act With Vitolo’s Support

BROOKLINE, MA — Last week, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed The CROWN Act, which would define natural hairstyles, ban policies that limit or prohibit natural hairstyles in schools, and prohibit hair discrimination in employment, business, advertising, and public spaces.

Brookline Rep. Tommy Vitolo has publicly expressed his support of the legislation, which was approved by the House of Representatives 155-0.

“We have a responsibility to create an inclusive environment where our Black classmates, colleagues, and friends can work and learn free from hair discrimination,” said Vitolo in a statement. “I am proud to have co-sponsored and voted in support of The CROWN Act and am grateful to my colleagues whose tireless work made this possible."

In addition to defining natural hairstyle in statute, prohibiting discrimination, and banning policies that restrict natural hairstyles, the legislation would also expand criminal law prohibiting assault and battery for purposes of intimidation to include natural hairstyle and add natural hairstyle to hate crime data collection and reporting requirements.

"Today, marks a great day for Black & Brown communities throughout the Commonwealth,” said Representative Chynah Tyler, Chair of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, in a statement. “Black women are more policed in the workplace than any other racial/ethnic group based on the way they choose to wear their hair. The passing of this legislation gets us one step closer to ending a barrier for communities of color in Massachusetts."

The CROWN Coalition, comprised of Dove, National Urban League, Color Of Change, and Western Center on Law & Poverty, was founded to create real change and aid in the efforts to ensure that Black women, men, and children, and other impacted groups, feel confident in expressing themselves.

"I'm so proud of the work we're leading with the CROWN Coalition to address racial equity in workplaces and schools through The CROWN Act," said Esi Eggleston Bracey, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of North America Beauty and Personal Care at Unilever, in a statement. "Dove is excited Massachusetts has joined the fifteen other states in enacting The CROWN Act and making race-based hair discrimination illegal."

The bill now goes to the Senate before reaching the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.