Pittsburgh Mayor Pushing Anti-Hairstyle Discrimination Measure

PITTSBURGH, PA — Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto wants city council to consider the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act to City Council today to provide additional protection from hairstyle discrimination for Black Pittsburghers in employment, housing, education, and public accommodations.

According to the mayor's office, a recent CROWN study revealed that 80 percent of Black women in the study said that they felt the need to alter their natural hair to “fit in” in a professional setting. The study also found that Black women are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair, their hair is 3.4 times more likely to be considered unprofessional, and they are 83 percent more likely to report being judged more harshly on their looks than white women nationally.

“The City of Pittsburgh is committed to equity and to eliminating the barriers that unfairly affect our communities,” Peduto said in a release. “Black hair is and always has been professional, but that has not always been reflected by employers, schools, or agencies in this city. This legislation affirms our commitment to improving outcomes for Black residents and make certain that they do not face natural hair discrimination in the workplace, when searching for a home, or when entering a business.”

The legislation would provide legal recourse for individuals experiencing hairstyle discrimination. Claims or reports of hairstyle discrimination can be reported to the city's Commission on Human Relations, which has already received numerous complaints.

The commission will be releasing guidance for landlords, employers, and business owners to understand the ordinance, understand hairstyle discrimination, learn best practices for creating a welcoming environment, and promoting actions to proactively prevent this type of discrimination.

Similar legislation has been passed and implemented in California, Colorado, New Jersey and has been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and is being pursued by the Philadelphia City Council.

The legislation will be introduced during the regular City Council meeting on Tuesday, October 6.

The full ordinance is available here.