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California Becomes First State to Ban Discrimination Against Natural Hair

Governor signs bill protecting individuals from ‘disparate impact’ for hairstyles.

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Philippe Lopez/Getty

By Julia Arciga

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday signed a bill that legally protects individuals with natural hair from discrimination in workplaces and in K-12 public schools. The law, which will take effect in January 2019, states “dress codes and grooming policies” that “prohibit natural hair, including afros, braids, twists, and locks, have a disparate impact on Black individuals[.]” The bill passed the state assembly late last month 69-0. “For us, it is a symbol of who we are,” Sen. Holly Mitchell, the bill’s author, told the Los Angeles Times.

Read it at Los Angeles Times

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