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CROWN Act

Meaning ❉ The CROWN Act establishes legal protections against discrimination based on hair texture and styles frequently worn by individuals of Black or mixed heritage. This legislation provides a clear framework for understanding that hair, in its natural forms—such as coils, locs, braids, and twists—is a valid and respected presentation within schools and workplaces. For those seeking structured hair care, the Act supports systematization by removing barriers that might otherwise compel individuals to alter their hair’s natural state for professional or academic acceptance. It permits the practical application of care routines and styling choices aligned with hair health and cultural identity, without fear of adverse consequences. This legal measure grounds the ability to present one’s hair authentically, ensuring personal styling decisions align with inherent hair needs and cultural expression rather than prescriptive societal norms.

A close up black and white portrait showcases a woman with a strong gaze and close cropped, textured hair, enhanced by a side fade with defined lines. The one shoulder black top emphasizes skin tone and the subtle play of light and shadow highlights facial structure and hair texture.

Professionalism

Meaning ❉ Professionalism, for textured hair, is the skilled, ethical application of care rooted in ancestral wisdom and the courageous affirmation of cultural identity.
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A sophisticated black and white studio shot presents a Black woman in profile. Her elaborate cornrow braids cascade into a long, thick ponytail, a display of skilled braiding artistry. The clean lines of her dark blazer emphasize her poise, highlighting the interplay of light and shadow on her features and braided texture.

Career Barriers

Meaning ❉ Systemic obstacles and biases faced by individuals with textured hair in professional settings, rooted in historical devaluation and Eurocentric beauty standards.
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This black and white portrait showcases a young child with a thoughtful expression, framed by tightly coiled hair styled in two elevated puffs. The image highlights the nuanced play of light and shadow, accentuating the intricate texture of her hair, while also subtly emphasizing her features. Her heritage is expressed through this natural hairstyle.

Social Justice

Meaning ❉ Social Justice for textured hair means dismantling systemic biases and reclaiming cultural autonomy, affirming hair as a profound marker of identity and heritage.
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A striking black and white studio portrait captures a woman with voluminous afro textured hair, showcasing its coiled structure. Her elegant, minimalist dress frames her face, emphasizing strong features highlighted by soft lighting. The image explores themes of beauty, heritage, and empowered expression, within Afro hair traditions.

Hair Evolution

Meaning ❉ Hair Evolution signifies the adaptive journey of hair, especially textured hair, through biological inheritance and profound cultural, historical, and societal influences.
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A gathering of women focuses on styling tightly coiled hair, employing practiced techniques. Sunlight illuminates their faces, highlighting heritage and the intricate textures achieved through communal practice. Bottles of hair product rest below emphasizing the dedication to hair care traditions.

Workplace Discrimination

Meaning ❉ Workplace discrimination, in the context of Roothea's library, is the unjust treatment of individuals in employment settings due to their textured hair, reflecting deep-seated historical biases against Black and mixed-race hair heritage.
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The striking black and white image showcases a woman of African descent with voluminous, coiled textured hair, styled upwards. Her radiant skin contrasts with the dark background, emphasizing her symmetrical features and the soft light highlighting her shoulders. This artful portrait embodies strength and embraces heritage through expressive hairstyling.

Black Hair Prejudice

Meaning ❉ Black Hair Prejudice signifies systemic bias and discrimination against individuals of African descent based on their natural hair textures and styles.
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A monochrome portrait captures a woman with carefully sculpted Afro-textured hair, featuring a subtle design element. The image explores themes of heritage and identity through deliberate styling. Highlights define the facial structure, emphasizing her gaze, showcasing Afro hair culture with textured finesse.

Black Resistance

Meaning ❉ Black Resistance in hair is the continuous assertion of identity and cultural sovereignty through textured hair, defying oppressive beauty standards.
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This black and white portrait showcases a young child with a thoughtful expression, framed by tightly coiled hair styled in two elevated puffs. The image highlights the nuanced play of light and shadow, accentuating the intricate texture of her hair, while also subtly emphasizing her features. Her heritage is expressed through this natural hairstyle.

Anti-Discrimination Laws

Meaning ❉ Anti-Discrimination Laws protect individuals from unfair treatment based on hair texture and styles rooted in racial and cultural heritage.
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A monochromatic portrait presents a young woman with a wavy bob, styled to frame her face with soft undulations, texture enhanced by direct light and dark shadows. Her hair showcases a loose wave formation, reflecting light, emphasizing its health and shine, resonating with expressive identity and heritage.

Hair Discrimination Impact

Meaning ❉ Hair Discrimination Impact describes the adverse social, psychological, and economic consequences individuals face due to bias against their hair texture or style.
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A striking black and white portrait highlights a woman with elaborately braided hair, sculpted into artful formations above her head, adorned with metallic wiring. The contrast intensifies the textures, showcasing deep ancestral heritage and holistic hair care practices, reflecting artistic expression and individuality through textured hair styling.

Social Status Hair

Meaning ❉ Social Status Hair is the historical and cultural interpretation of hair, particularly textured forms, as a dynamic indicator of an individual's standing within society.
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A striking black and white portrait highlights a young woman's close cropped platinum blonde afro textured hair. The direct gaze captures strength while soft light accentuates facial contours. The textured, short afro hair exemplifies a modern take on Black hair traditions, showcasing expressive styling and natural hair affirmation.

Hair Bias

Meaning ❉ Hair Bias is the prejudice or discrimination against individuals based on hair texture or style, deeply rooted in historical and cultural inequities.
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Three Black women collaborate on intricate braiding of another's textured hair showcasing ancestral techniques. Soft window light illuminates the intimate scene capturing detailed cornrows in a salon. The image highlights heritage, wellness, and community supporting natural hair styling, expressive black hair care and cultural hair tradition for Black women.

Textured Hair Discrimination

Meaning ❉ Textured Hair Discrimination is the systemic prejudice against hair textures rooted in diverse heritages, particularly Black hair, often linked to historical control.
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A striking monochromatic portrait features a woman with voluminous afro textured hair, showcasing its springy coil formation. The interplay of light and shadow emphasizes the hair's intricate texture against her smooth skin, highlighting natural beauty and celebrating Black hair traditions. Her direct gaze conveys confidence, making a powerful statement of identity.

Black Hair Discrimination

Meaning ❉ Black Hair Discrimination is systemic bias and inequitable treatment against textured hair, deeply rooted in historical racial hierarchies and cultural devaluation.
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