There is currently no UK law specifically protecting against hair discrimination, in spite of its deep roots in racism. Many black children are repeatedly sent home and excluded from school for wearing their natural hair, (https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/23/school-hair-policies-take-race-account-remain-tools-white-oppression-8379358/) with schools preferring them to miss lessons rather than have their hair emerge from their head as it naturally does. One teen has won an £8,500 payout from their school in a recent race discrimination case. (https://inews.co.uk/news/education/school-hairstyle-policy-race-ehrc-urswick-school-1393672) And Emma Dabiri has rightly started a petition to the UK Government and Ofsted to amend the UK Equality Act to include hair discrimination, therefore protecting afro-textured hair. You can sign the petition here.
In light of this, we hope you’ll watch Hair Love. This short film began its journey in 2017 when Matthew Cherry started a Kickstarter Campaign in hope of creating his now Oscar-winning short film. Inspired by the increase in viral videos of fathers styling their daughters’ natural hair, Cherry took this opportunity to normalise black hair and to raise awareness of the Californian law, the CROWN Act, Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.
Watch the Oscar-winning short film Hair Love by clicking here.
Find out more about the CROWN Act by clicking here
