Hairstyle Discrimination (H 5841)

There have been many reported instances around the country where employees are told their hair is not "professional" enough for the workplace, or a student is sent home for having "distracting" hair, or a student athlete is forced to cut their locks or forfeit a school sports match. We strongly supported legislation which would expand the definition of race in three of Rhode Island's anti-discrimination laws to include "traits historically associated with race," importantly including hair texture and protective hairstyles. Discrimination on the basis of hair texture or style is nothing but racial discrimination, and the inclusion of statutory protection against this type of discrimination is critical to ensure that the rights of BIPOC individuals are clearly and legally safeguarded in workplaces and schools.