The National Assembly adopts a text against “hair discrimination”

The text aims in particular to prevent employers from forcing their employees to straighten their hair to hide their afro cuts, or to hide their braids and dreadlocks.

The National Assembly adopted on Thursday March 28 at first reading a bill aimed at penalizing “hair discrimination”, particularly at work, despite reservations about the usefulness of this initiative.

The text of the Guadeloupean deputy Olivier Serva (independent Liot group) was adopted by 44 votes to two, before being transmitted to the Senate where its future is uncertain. It aims in particular to prevent employers from forcing their employees to straighten their hair to hide their afro cuts, or to hide their braids and dreadlocks. The bill wants to add to the list of discriminations punishable by criminal sanctions those relating to “the cut, color, length or texture of hair”.

“Clarify” a law that already punishes discrimination

In France, however, the law already includes 25 grounds for discrimination at work, such as age, sex, or even physical appearance, of which hairstyle is one. “But from theory to reality there is a gulf”declared Olivier Serva, pleading for “clarify” a “misunderstood or misapprehended law”.

The MP mentioned “black women who feel obligated to straighten their hair” before a job interview, “red-haired people, victims of many negative prejudices”where the “bald men”.

The government brought a “benevolent gaze” on the text, relying on “wisdom” deputies. He has “the merit of highlighting this type of discrimination”even if the law allows “already struggling” against them, noted the Minister for Gender Equality Aurore Bergé.