The American Psychological Association states, “Although the chronic condition of stress can have negative side effects on all persons, the unique psycho-social and contextual factors, specifically the common and pervasive exposure to racism and discrimination, creates an additional daily stressor for African-Americans.” Only recently have we acknowledged racism as a public health crisis. Simultaneously we’ve turned keen attention towards improving mental health. It is here, the two intersect and specifically addressing a form of structural racism that has harmful effects on mental health is vital.
Advancing the CROWN Act will do just that. The path to ending hair discrimination and harming Black mental health continues now. Let this vote today be the next step in making Senate Bill No. 90 among our crowning achievements.
Senator Anthony’s statement is as follows:
In 2018 I was elected to the House of Representatives in a special election and at the time when I was sworn in and they took a photo, I wore my hair in really long braids—fresh off the campaign trail, and I needed to protect my natural hair. A few weeks later, I pressed it out bone-straight, and in fact as a state lawmaker I have worn my hair in very, very unique and very different ways—twists, locks, curls, kinks, all types. And with every change of my hair, what didn’t change is who I am. My heart, my drive, my tenacity, my work ethic, and not once did I have to worry about being retaliated against, terminated, or reprimanded because of my hair styles, but this is unique to being a lawmaker. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many Michiganders, particularly African American Michiganders, as well as individuals throughout our entire country.
In 2019 I first introduced the CROWN Act here in the state of Michigan. Now CROWN stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair and this is intended to prohibit race-based discrimination. After introducing this bill in 2019—it had no co-sponsors, not much interest in this bill—I will tell you I was laughed out of rooms. People told me and encouraged me to focus on issues that really matter, things of substance—tax policy, focus on something that would mean real change for Michiganders. Even though bill after bill became law in states across the country, I started to get discouraged. Maybe I thought this is not an issue we need to focus on. But, I will tell you I’ve consistently been reminded that our job here as lawmakers is to lift up the voices of people who often are not heard here in the halls of power. I remembered and drew from stories I heard growing up. I remembered hearing stories in beauty shops and in barber shops all across my community, I heard from people at cookouts and I heard from people at my sorority meetings, real stories from Black co-workers, family members, folks who went to my church and at that moment after I introduced the bill, men, women, and children all over the state of Michigan and across the country reached out to share stories of humiliation, some were very graphic, all were very heart-breaking, about how their natural hair had created boundaries or barriers for them in the workplace and in school settings.
Men right here in Michigan who were denied health care services because of their locks. Others who had been told they needed to comb or even cut off their corn rows to appeal to a more conservative workplace. Children who have been denied the ability to play sports, take school pictures, or even walk across the graduation stage because their hair was not deemed appropriate. Women who have spent thousands of dollars and countless hours trying to straighten their hair in order to be deemed professional, to obtain or maintain employment. Black women and girls who have been embarrassed, mistreated, denied opportunities, and unfairly disciplined because of the way God has created us. Subjected to hot combs that burn our hair and our necks, relaxers that leave us with chemical burns and lifelong health complications, and often irreversible damage to our physical and mental health, all to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards that strip us away of our own identity.
Now we are often told by some, even members in this body, that hair discrimination is not a real issue, that it’s simply in our heads. A recent study by Michigan State University found that African American women faced the highest incidences of hair discrimination, that they are more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair. The study also determined that 80 percent of African American women felt they needed to switch their hairstyles to align with more conservative standards in an effort to fit into the workplace. A separate study by researchers at Duke University found that participants viewed Black hair such as afros, twists, and braids as less professional. The study determined that Black women with natural hair styles are less likely to land even a job interview as opposed to their white women counterparts or Black women who straighten their hair.
The following bill was read a third time:
Senate Bill No. 150, entitled
A bill to amend 1973 PA 186, entitled “Tax tribunal act,” by amending section 62 (MCL 205.762), as amended by 2008 PA 128.
The question being on the passage of the bill,
The bill was passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, as follows: