In France a new chapter is opening on inclusion and against it discrimination, this time focused not directly on skin color or sexual preferences. This time we’re talking about hairstyles. Hair. According to the BBC, in fact, the French Parliament has given the green light to a bill which intends to prohibit any form of discrimination linked to the appearance of hair in the workplace. The law will now pass to the Senate, where it will be subject to further discussions.
This initiative, proposed by the deputy Olivier Servantborn in French Guadeloupe, aims to protect not only people of color, who may have experienced discrimination due to natural hair such as Afro, dreadlocks or cornrows, but also individuals with hair blonde, red or bald people. The objective would be to offer a safeguard against the so-called “capillary prejudice”: the In practice, the law should prevent employers from requiring employees to straighten their hair or cover afros, dreadlocks and braids.
Although the proposal does not explicitly mention the discrimination racial, the motivation behind it mainly concerns this aspect. Serva was inspired by a US study according to which a quarter of black women reported being excluded from job opportunities during interviews because of their hairstyle.
The aim of the bill would be to support those who fall outside European beauty standards, who according to some would be subject to discrimination, stereotypes and prejudices. However, the proposal is not free from criticism. Some argue that French legislation already prohibits the collection of personal data relating to race or ethnicity, following the “universalist” principles of the Republic. Others highlight how not explicitly using the term “racism” in the law can be problematic, given the frequency with which public figures experience negative comments online related to their natural appearance.
But to which cases would the law apply? A journalist shared with Radio France International their experience relating to the pressure of having to present themselves in a “professional” way while straightening their hair. Her return to natural in 2015 would be a difficult journey, not only personally but also due to the public reaction, which would reflect the expectations and prejudices rooted in society.
Aboubakar Traoré, on the other hand, is an Air France crew member who in 2022 obtained the right to wear his hair braided. However, the decision was based on gender discrimination, given that female colleagues were allowed to wear braids.
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