Tucson City Council Passes Hair Discrimination Ban

TUCSON, AZ — It is now illegal in Tucson to enforce dress codes or policies that discriminate against hair texture and hairstyles.

The Tucson City Council voted Tuesday to pass the Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, or CROWN Act, as reported by the Arizona Daily Star.

The ordinance has been part of a national campaign promoted by Dove, the National Urban League, Color Of Change and Western Center on Law and Poverty. It will also prohibit workplace discrimination based on headdresses worn for cultural or religious reasons.

“We want to be sure there are no barriers for people in the workplace and in schools,” Annie Sykes, president of Tucson’s Black Women’s Task Force, said Tuesday. “These barriers are usually rooted in discrimination and prejudice.”

Sykes cited a study conducted by JOY Collective that showed Black women are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from work because of their hair.

The ordinance, presented to the council by Councilman Steve Kozachik and Vice Mayor Nikki Lee, will apply to any facility or business with public accommodations. Any violations could lead to civil penalties, officials said.

Lee tweeted her celebrations after the resolution passed, thanking her colleagues for supporting the "important" act. She also thanked Desiree Cook, a licensed hair stylist and founder of the local organization I AM YOU 360 for speaking during the council meeting.

“Your hair is your crown and it connects us to our culture and to our ancestry,” Cook said. “So we ask that those crowns are honored, whether it be in schools, in the community or the workplace.”

The Associated Press contributed to this reporting.