New Research Shows Race-Based Hair Discrimination Starts As Early As Five

Dove has released new research showing that Black girls experience discrimination based on their hair texture and styles as early as five years old. The Dove 2021 CROWN Research Study for Girls unpacks data around the trauma of discrimination from childhood to adulthood, including negative impacts on self-esteem to loss of access to education, jobs, and other opportunities. 

[SEE ALSO: Nevada And Shreveport, LA Pass CROWN Act To Ban Hair Discrimination]

According to the research, 100% of Black elementary school girls in majority-white schools who reported experiencing hair bias and discrimination state they experienced the discrimination by the age of 10 and 86% of Black teens experienced it by the age of 12.

The report surveyed 1000 girls (500 Black, 500 White) between the ages of 5 and 18 with questions related to their schools’ hair policies, bias in school, and a recreation of the 1954 Doll Test. 

Additional research Black women were 1.5 times more likely to have reported having been sent home or know of a Black woman being sent home from the workplace because of her hair.

“This new body of research illuminates the pervasive nature and deep impact hair discrimination has on Black girls highlighting the horrific multi-generational impact of narrow beauty standards in America,” said Esi Eggleston Bracey, EVP & COO of Unilever North America. “These biases continue to perpetuate unfair scrutiny and discrimination against Black women and girls for wearing hairstyles inherent to our culture. This is unacceptable and why it is imperative that everyone join the movement to make hair discrimination illegal nationwide through the passage of The CROWN Act.”

The CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act is both legislation and an ongoing movement by Dove and a collective of partners designed to make race-based hair discrimination illegal. Over the past five years, The CROWN Act has been passed in 14 states and 34 cities and townships. To help ensure its passage across the country, Dove has launched a petition to push for lawmakers to get behind the legislation.

In addition to the research, Dove has also released a short film illustrating the journey of hair discrimination. Press play below to see how a simple hairstyle can become a fight for equality. 

To learn more about the research or to sign the petition, visit Dove.com/CROWN.