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14 <br /> 1 (7) In 2018, the United States Armed Forces rescinded these policies and recognized that <br /> 2 this description perpetuated derogatory racial stereotypes. <br /> 3 (8) The United States Armed Forces also recognized that prohibitions against natural or <br /> 4 protective hairstyles that African-American servicewomen are commonly adorned <br /> 5 with are racially discriminatory and bear no relationship to African-American <br /> 6 servicewomen's occupational qualifications and their ability to serve and protect the <br /> 7 Nation. <br /> 8 (9) As a type of racial or national origin discrimination, discrimination on the basis of <br /> 9 natural or protective hairstyles that people of African descent are commonly adorned <br /> 10 with violates existing Federal law, including provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 <br /> 11 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.), section 1977 of the Revised Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1981), <br /> 12 and the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.). However, some Federal courts <br /> 13 have misinterpreted Federal civil rights law by narrowly interpreting the meaning of <br /> 14 race or national origin, and thereby permitting, for example, employers to <br /> 15 discriminate against people of African descent who wear natural or protective <br /> 16 hairstyles even though the employment policies involved are not related to workers' <br /> 17 ability to perform their jobs. <br /> 18 (10) Applying this narrow interpretation of race or national origin has resulted in a lack of <br /> 19 Federal civil rights protection for individuals who are discriminated against on the <br /> 20 basis of characteristics that are commonly associated with race and national origin. <br /> 21 (11) In 2019, State legislatures and municipal bodies throughout the United States have <br /> 22 introduced and passed legislation that rejects certain Federal courts' restrictive <br /> 23 interpretation of race and national origin, and expressly classifies race and national <br /> 24 origin discrimination as inclusive of discrimination on the basis of natural or <br /> 25 protective hairstyles commonly associated with race and national origin; and <br /> 26 <br /> 27 WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners has the responsibility to <br /> 28 advocate on behalf of all of residents, and recognizes, as espoused by the CROWN Act of <br /> 29 2019, that "clear, consistent, and enforceable legal standards must be provided to redress the <br /> 30 widespread incidences of race and national origin discrimination based upon hair texture and <br /> 31 hairstyle in schools, workplaces, housing......and other contexts" and to "explicitly prohibit the <br /> 32 adoption or implementation of grooming requirements that disproportionately impact people of <br /> 33 African descent"; <br /> 34 <br /> 35 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of County <br /> 36 Commissioners hereby: <br /> 37 <br /> 38 1. Supports the passage of H.R. 5309 Creating a Respectful and Open World for <br /> 39 Natural Hair Act of 2020 into law; <br /> 40 <br /> 41 2. Requests the North Carolina General Assembly pass legislation similar to H.R. <br /> 42 5309 and a Fair Employment law that will protect all North Carolinians from all <br /> 43 forms of employment discrimination; and <br /> 44 <br /> 45 3. Support the inclusion of religious discrimination as a category of protected class in <br /> 46 federal and state law. <br /> 47 <br /> 48 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk to the Board is directed to send copies of this <br /> 49 resolution to the Orange County delegation to the North Carolina Legislature, Governor Roy <br />