Olivier Serva, an unbiased Nationwide Meeting deputy for the French abroad territory of Guadeloupe and the invoice’s sponsor, stated it might penalise any office discrimination primarily based on “hair type, color, size or texture”.
Related legal guidelines exist in round 20 US states which have recognized hair discrimination as an expression of racism. In Britain, the Equality and Human Rights Fee has issued tips in opposition to hair discrimination in faculties.
Serva, who’s black, stated ladies “of African descent” had been typically inspired earlier than job interviews to vary their type of hair. Backers additionally say that males who put on their hair in kinds like dreadlocks are additionally affected.
The invoice was accepted within the decrease home Nationwide Meeting with 44 votes in favour and two in opposition to. It’s going to now head to the higher Senate the place the fitting has the bulk and the vote’s consequence is far much less sure.
“Goal of discrimination”
Serva, who additionally included discrimination suffered by blondes, redheads and bald males in his proposal, factors to an American examine stating {that a} quarter of black ladies polled stated that they had been dominated out for jobs due to how they wore their hair on the job interview.
Such statistics are onerous to come back by in France, which bans the compilation of non-public knowledge that point out an individual’s race or ethnic background on the idea of the French Republic’s “universalist” rules.
The draft legislation doesn’t, the truth is, comprise the time period “racism”, famous Daphne Bedinade, a social anthropologist, saying the omission was problematic. “To make this solely about hair discrimination is to masks the issues of individuals whose hair makes them a goal of discrimination, largely black ladies,” she advised Le Monde each day.
A black Air France air crew member in 2022 gained a 10-year authorized battle for the fitting to work with braided hair on flights after a call by France’s highest appeals court docket.
Whereas statistics are tough to come back by, high-profile folks have confronted on-line harassment due to their coiffure. Within the political sphere they embrace former authorities spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye, and Audrey Pulvar, a deputy mayor of Paris, whose Afro look has attracted a lot damaging remark on-line.
The invoice’s critics say it’s pointless, as discrimination primarily based on appears is already banned by legislation. “There isn’t any authorized void right here,” stated Eric Rocheblave, a lawyer specialising in labour legislation. Calling any future legislation “symbolic”, Rocheblave stated it might not be of a lot sensible assist when it got here to proving discrimination in court docket.
Kenza Bel Kenadil, an influencer and self-proclaimed “activist in opposition to hair discrimination”, stated a legislation would nonetheless ship an vital message. “It might inform everyone that the legislation protects you in each manner and allows you to type your hair any manner you need,” she stated. The influencer, who has 256,000 followers on Instagram, stated she herself had been “compelled” to tie her hair in a bun when she was working as a receptionist. Her employers had been “very clear”, she stated. “It was, both you go house and repair your hair otherwise you don’t come right here to work”.
Throughout the parliamentary debate deputy Fanta Berete, initially from Guinea, stated she, too, had been advised previously to straighten her hair in job interviews.
Aurore Bergé, minister accountable for gender equality, stated the federal government was “trying kindly” on the initiative which she stated was helpful in drawing consideration to this type of discrimination.
Some right-wing deputies rejected the invoice, with Republicans deputy Xavier Breton saying it was the end result of an “activist ideology” that he stated was geared toward “dividing our society” by establishing “a hierarchy” of discriminatory acts.
