Scholarly Commons @ FAMU Law

Article Title

The Roots of the Problem: How the Crown Act Could Remedy the Inadequacies of Title VII Hair Discrimination Protections in the Entertainment Industry

Authors

Abstract

This article will examine the inadequacies of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”) as it relates to hair discrimination in the entertainment industry and how the “Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair” (“CROWN”) Act could help to alleviate those inadequacies. Title VII fails to acknowledge the connection between hair texture/ protective styles and race. The entertainment industry exploits the failures of Title VII when casting African American women for television and film roles. Industry executives have been known to ask actresses to mute or exaggerate their blackness through different requests for their hairstyles.

Recommended Citation

The Roots of the Problem: How the Crown Act Could Remedy the Inadequacies of Title VII Hair Discrimination Protections in the Entertainment Industry, 17 Fla. A&M U. L. Rev. 185 (2023).
Available at: https://commons.law.famu.edu/famulawreview/vol17/iss2/10