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2 <br /> A 2019 Joy Collective Study CROWN Research Study found that discrimination based on <br /> hairstyles has a real, measurable social and economic impact on Black women. The Crown Study <br /> also found that Black women were 80% more likely to agree with the statement that they had to <br /> change their hair from its natural state to fit in at the office than White women. Wearing one's hair <br /> in a natural or protective style may also have significant physical and psychological harm to those <br /> who have to choose between maintaining their livelihood and education or their cultural identity <br /> and hair health.3 Black women have faced significant socio-economic pressure to conform to <br /> white or European beauty standards by straightening or relaxing their hair, which can cause <br /> emotional distress, including dignitary and stigmatic harm. Because of this stress, Black women <br /> are likely to spend more money on their hair, spend more money on professional hair styling <br /> appointments and products, and experience anxiety related to hair. These experiences highlight <br /> the consequences of being compelled to conform to the standards of White and European beauty <br /> standards or stigmatized for wearing one's hair in a natural style. <br /> The North Carolina Supreme Court, in 2003, declared the employment law section of the Orange <br /> County Civil Rights Ordinance (the Civil Rights Ordinance") unconstitutional. Later that year, the <br /> Board of Commissioners attempted to get statewide legislation passed that would allow counties <br /> to pass local ordinances protecting the rights of residence against employment discrimination. <br /> The legislation passed the House but stalled in the Senate. Today, North Carolina does not have <br /> a statewide Fair Employment Law, nor does it allow localities to protect its residents from <br /> employment discrimination. <br /> Staff recommends the following: <br /> 1. Supporting H.R 5309, Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair <br /> (CROWN)Act of 2020 prohibiting discrimination based on the individual's hair texture <br /> or hairstyle. (See Report Accompany H.R. 5309) <br /> 2. Supporting a similar CROWN Act legislation in North Carolina AND a North Carolina <br /> Fair Employment law to support the enforcement of the CROWN Act and other <br /> employment discrimination laws in North Carolina <br /> 3. Amending Chapter 12 of the Civil Rights Ordinance to prohibit discrimination based <br /> on a individual's hair texture or hairstyle, if the hair texture or hairstyle is commonly <br /> associated with the person's race, national origin, or religion (including a hairstyle in <br /> which hair is tightly coiled, locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, and Afros) <br /> The terms "national origin" and "religion" have the same meaning as in §12-6 of the <br /> Orange County Civil Rights Ordinance. The terms "national origin," "religion," and <br /> "race" include discrimination based on hair texture or hairstyle commonly associated <br /> with a particular race, national origin, or religion (including a hairstyle in which hair is <br /> tightly coiled, locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, and Afros). <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: The financial impact associated with this action is unknown. Enforcement <br /> of this Ordinance could lead to the need for more investigative personnel in the Human Rights <br /> and Relations Department. <br /> 3 See generally Dr. Gillian Scott-Ward,Moving Past Racist Grooming Standards Terrorizing our Children,Medium(Jan. 10, <br /> 2018),https:Hmedium.com/@gillianscottward/moving-past-racist-groomingstandards-terrorizing-our-children-40df73b9ecb3. <br />