加州成为第一个禁止发型歧视的州

California Becomes First State to Ban Hairstyle Discrimination

California has become the first state to ban discrimination against black people for wearing natural hairstyles to work and school. This includes styles such as afros, braids, twists and locks. On Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law.

Democratic Senator Holly¹ Mitchell of Los Angeles, a black woman, proposed the law. Mitchell wears her hair in locks. The law makes California the first state to clearly say such hairstyles are linked to race and therefore protected against discrimination.

“We are changing the course of history, hopefully, across this country,” Mitchell said. The law shows that what has been defined as “professional hair styles” and clothing has historically been European-centered, she said.

Stephanie Hunter-Ray owns a hair salon² in Sacramento. She also sells makeup³ at a department store. Hunter-Ray says she usually wears her hair braided or in an afro. But one day she went to work with straightened hair. Her supervisor⁴ told her that was the first time her hair looked “normal.”

Hunter-Ray told The Associated Press that the comment troubled her.

“What do you mean by ‘normal?’ Your normal is not my normal. My normal is my [afro] or my braids,” Hunter-Ray said.

Her salon specializes in natural hair styles.

Alikah Hatchett-Fall runs Sacred Crowns Salon, also in Sacramento. She said many black men have come to her salon asking to cut off their hair because they could not get jobs.

The law, she said, “means that psychologically and mentally people can be at ease.”

California’s new law takes effect January 1. It will permit people to take cases of suspected discrimination involving hair to court. The U.S. Supreme⁵ Court recently refused to hear the case of an Alabama woman who said she did not get a job because she would not change her hair.

The issue was also publicized last December after a video from a wrestling competition in New Jersey⁶ surfaced. Before the competition, a white referee⁷ told a black high school wrestler⁸ that he must cut off his locks to compete. California’s governor said the video was a clear example of the discrimination black people in America face.

Though California is the first state with such a law, New York City earlier this year issued legal guidance about discrimination based on hairstyle. The beauty products company Dove has partnered with organizations pushing for more hairstyle protections. And Mitchell said she hopes other states follow California.

Mitchell’s bill adds language to the state’s discrimination laws to say that “race” also includes “traits historically associated with race.” They include hair textures¹⁰ and protective hairstyles. It further defines protective hairstyles as braids, twists and locks.

At Hunter-Ray’s salon, Exquisite¹¹ U, on Wednesday, hairstylists and customers discussed the new law.

Customer Shereen Africa was having her hair re-braided by Elicia Drayton that day. She said she used to work at a television station in Mississippi. There, a black broadcaster left the job because of mistreatment she received for wearing locks. Africa said she did not wear her hair in braids at the job because the environment was not supportive.

A broadcaster at another Mississippi television station made national news when she was fired after she stopped straightening her hair.

“You want to go to work and feel free,” Drayton said. “You don’t want to have to feel like you have to put on a wig¹² or you have to have your hair straight to please someone.”

I’m Alice Bryant.

Words in This Story

afro – n. a hairstyle of very tight curls that grow out around the head

braids – n. an arrangement of hair made by weaving three sections together

twists – n. the twisting of two sections of hair around one another

locks – n. the natural gathering¹³ or “locking” of several strands¹⁴ of hair

salon – n. a business that gives customers beauty treatments, such as hair cuts

makeup – n. substances (such as lipstick¹⁵ or powder) used to make someone's face look more attractive

straighten – v. the flattening¹⁶ and straightening of hair to give it a smooth look; usually done with a hair iron, hot comb or harsh chemicals

wrestling – gerund. a sport in which two people try to throw, force, or pin each other to the ground (v. wrestle)

referee – n. a person who makes sure that players act according to the rules of a game or sport

trait – n. a quality that makes one person or thing different from another

texture⁹ – n. the feel, appearance, or consistency¹⁷ of a surface or a substance

wig – n. artificial hair worn to cover baldness or to change one's appearance

1 holly   

n.[植]冬青属灌木

参考例句：

• I recently acquired some wood from a holly tree.最近我从一棵冬青树上弄了些木料。
• People often decorate their houses with holly at Christmas.人们总是在圣诞节时用冬青来装饰房屋。

2 salon   

n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室

参考例句：

• Do you go to the hairdresser or beauty salon more than twice a week?你每周去美容院或美容沙龙多过两次吗？
• You can hear a lot of dirt at a salon.你在沙龙上会听到很多流言蜚语。

3 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

4 supervisor   

n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师

参考例句：

• Between you and me I think that new supervisor is a twit.我们私下说，我认为新来的主管人是一个傻瓜。
• He said I was too flighty to be a good supervisor.他说我太轻浮不能成为一名好的管理员。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

7 referee   

n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人

参考例句：

• The team was left raging at the referee's decision.队员们对裁判员的裁决感到非常气愤。
• The referee blew a whistle at the end of the game.裁判在比赛结束时吹响了哨子。

8 wrestler   

n.摔角选手，扭

参考例句：

• The wrestler tripped up his opponent.那个摔跤运动员把对手绊倒在地。
• The stronger wrestler won the first throw.较壮的那个摔跤手第一跤就赢了。

9 texture   

n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理

参考例句：

• We could feel the smooth texture of silk.我们能感觉出丝绸的光滑质地。
• Her skin has a fine texture.她的皮肤细腻。

10 textures   

n.手感( texture的名词复数 )；质感；口感；（音乐或文学的）谐和统一感

参考例句：

• I'm crazy about fabrics textures and colors and designs. 我喜欢各式各样的纺织物--对它的质地，色彩到花纹图案--简直是入了迷。 来自辞典例句
• Let me clear up the point about the textures. 让我明确了一点有关的纹理。 来自互联网

11 exquisite   

adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的

参考例句：

• I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。
• I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。

12 wig   

n.假发

参考例句：

• The actress wore a black wig over her blond hair.那个女演员戴一顶黑色假发罩住自己的金黄色头发。
• He disguised himself with a wig and false beard.他用假发和假胡须来乔装。

13 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

14 strands   

n.（线、绳、金属线、毛发等的）股( strand的名词复数 )；缕；海洋、湖或河的)岸；（观点、计划、故事等的）部份v.使滞留，使搁浅( strand的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Twist a length of rope from strands of hemp. 用几股麻搓成了一段绳子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She laced strands into a braid. 她把几股线编织成一根穗带。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 lipstick   

n.口红，唇膏

参考例句：

• Taking out her lipstick,she began to paint her lips.她拿出口红，开始往嘴唇上抹。
• Lipstick and hair conditioner are cosmetics.口红和护发素都是化妆品。

16 flattening   

n. 修平 动词flatten的现在分词

参考例句：

• Flattening of the right atrial border is also seen in constrictive pericarditis. 右心房缘变平亦见于缩窄性心包炎。
• He busied his fingers with flattening the leaves of the book. 他手指忙着抚平书页。

17 consistency   

n.一贯性，前后一致，稳定性；(液体的)浓度

参考例句：

• Your behaviour lacks consistency.你的行为缺乏一贯性。
• We appreciate the consistency and stability in China and in Chinese politics.我们赞赏中国及其政策的连续性和稳定性。