Gabrielle Union, Uzo Aduba, Keke Palmer star in PSA about hair discrimination

Black women across America are bravely sharing their hair discrimination stories, and some powerful celebrities are making sure that their voices are heard. Gabrielle Union (L.A.’s Finest), Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black), Marsai Martin (black-ish) and Keke Palmer (Scream Queens) have teamed up with Glamour for a powerful new PSA, I’ve Been Told, putting those stories front and centre.In the three-minute video, the actors share the words of 13 Black women who sent in anonymous stories about the very real issues they face and the comments they’ve received because of their hairstyles. From stereotypical misconceptions about the cleanliness of dreadlocks, to being told by HR that their hair looks “more professional” in a bun, to the story of a seven-year-old girl whose teacher snipped her braids because her beads were making too much noise, the impactful stories reveal a serious need for change. The actors are hoping that change comes from The Crown (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act. The state-level legislation, which prohibits race-based hair discrimination in workplaces and schools, is currently in effect in California, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and Washington. Now the goal is to expand it to the other 43 States as well.“The words you just heard are from 13 Black women across the United States but their experiences belong to all of us,” says Union. “This isn’t just a hair issue. Hair discrimination is racial discrimination, period. Together we can make our schools and workplaces safer and equal for all.”[video_embed id='2021523']RELATED: Gabrielle Union calls ‘AGT’ drama the ‘hardest’ part of her career[/video_embed]According to research quoted by Glamour, Black women are 83 per cent more likely to report being judged more harshly on their looks than other women at work, and they are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from work because of their hair. “Those actions are bullying, discrimination, microaggressions and acts of racial injustice,” says Martin in the video.“My hair has a purpose greater than myself and I will not put it away to comply with white culture standards of beauty,” adds Palmer, as Aduba notes, “I wear my hair boldly and proudly as it is the crown that makes me unique.”

 

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My hair, don’t care #repost @glamourmag Hair discrimination is racial discrimination, period. For our September issue, Glamour asked Gabrielle Union, Keke Palmer, Marsai Martin, and Uzo Aduba—an unmatched group of Black celebrities who are passionate about ending hair discrimination—to amplify the stories of women from around the country. Currently it’s illegal in only seven states for workplaces and schools to discriminate against someone for wearing their hair natural or in protective styles like locs, braids, knots, or twists. That number should be 50. Together we have the power to end it. To demand that the Crown Act get passed in your state, sign the petition at the link in bio.

A post shared by Uzo Aduba (@uzoaduba) on Aug 25, 2020 at 6:47am PDT

The I’ve Been Told campaign launched on August 25 in conjunction with Glamour’s September issue, which also features the stories of six Black women across the States and the stigma they’ve faced because of their hair.“For most working people, the expectation is that you’ll be evaluated on how well you perform the tasks you were hired to do. You’re either good at your job or you’re not, right? For Black women, it’s not always that absolute,” sets up the publication.“Many of us have also been judged, reprimanded, or even fired for the way we wear our hair to work. It’s called hair discrimination, and in 43 states it’s perfectly legal. Each of the six women you’ll hear from in this story describes unpleasant experiences on the job, and they’re advocating the passage of the Crown Act in every state, a vital piece of legislation that makes it illegal to discriminate against a person for the way they wear their hair to work, whether that’s natural or in protective styles. Their experiences vary, but their message is the same: We are not our hair, and our hair is our own.”[video_embed id='1994220']Before you go: Petition calls for beauty schools to teach how to do Black hair[/video_embed]