The Kansas City Council recently voted unanimously to pass an ordinance that prohibits discrimination based on natural hairstyles and hair textures that are associated with race.
The new ordinance, known as the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, builds on existing anti-descrimination ordinances by adding to the definition of race, according to a post on JDSupra. The trend to add hairstyles and textures to the definitions of race in local ordinances is a growing movement across the country.
In effect, the new ordinance prevents local employers from prohibiting their employees from wearing their hair in a style that is recognized as being protected as an identifying racial characteristic, according to the post. In addition to including hair textures, the new ordinance prohibits discrimination related to “protective hairstyles,” which include braids, locks and twists.
At the same time, the ordinance does not limit hairstyles that may be protected under the ordinance to those specifically defined within it, according to the post.
“While the Ordinance focuses on hairstyles, the language added to the definition of ‘Race’ leaves room for employees to claim that other ‘traits’ that are also historically associated with their race are now covered by the new language,” the post states.
Pam Whiting, Kansas City Chamber vice president of Communications and Media Relations, told the St. Louis Record that due to the subject never having been brought up by any Chamber members or weighed in on by the Chamber Board, the Chamber is unable to comment on the ordinance change.
The Crown Act was signed by Mayor Quinton Lucas signed the new ordinance on Oct. 2, but it does not go into effect until Sunday, Nov. 1, according to the post. Employers have until then to review policies to ensure they are not in violation of the new ordinance.