God Save the Queens: Protecting the Mane of Palimore Triplets, as Well as Girls and Women in Every Corner of Country with CROWN Act

BY VW

WITH all of the problems that plague the United States, one of the very last ones we should be dealing with – in the 21st century! – is hair discrimination. Yet, it is a problem that persists. And you, you, you and you can help from the comfort of home and device.

Are you scratching your scalp, wondering what I'm on about? I get it. It’s a ton of botheration to even bring it up, but needs must, hence the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act of 2021, for instance. But I will return to that shortly.

First, some background: Fellow Americans all across the United States – an overwhelming majority of them black, if media reports and at least one study are to be believed – have been experiencing discrimination because of their hairstyles. One might think such practices were left behind in 1919 or 1984 or 1999. Alas, no. They persist in 2000, 2010, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 …

It could be a situation where an athlete is told he must cut his locs to compete. A little girl is sent home because she is wearing braids in violation of school policy. A woman receives a job offer contingent on her abandoning her locs or braids. Little girls are bullied at school because of their hairstyles. Many of these same little girls begin to dislike their hair and desire straight hair.

This hair discrimination impacts mostly women and disproportionately black women who wear natural hairstyles like afros, braids, locs and ringlets. In fact, the 2019 Dove CROWN Research Study found in part that 80 percent of black women compared with 65 percent of nonblack women reported hair dicrimination.

The study also found that black girls as young as 5 have experienced hair discrimination (See "As Early As Five" above. It is a short film from Dove that dramatizes this finding). Yikes! This should not be the future of the Palimore Triplets or any little girl regardless of her hair type.

To paraphrase Marcus Garvey, “Don't force them to remove the kinks from their hair! Remove the kinks from your brain!

Not surprisingly, these outrages have spawned activism and legislation, giving rise to the CROWN Coalition and the CROWN Act. The former is an alliance of various non-governmental organizations, including Dove. Its mission is to push anti-hair discrimination legislation across the United States.

The coalition has had success. Currently, 14 states and more than 30 municipalities have passed hair discrimination laws under the rubric, CROWN Act.

You can follow the Palimore Triplets on Instagram (@palimore_triplets). Image from Palimore Triplets Instagram page.

The CROWN ACT, which outlaws hair discrimination (particularly the race-based type) in institutions and workplaces, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in September 2020 and was introduced in the U.S. Senate in March 2021. There is a big push to get the bill passed in the Senate. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the CROWN Act, making it the law of the land.

I hope yous will get on board and support the CROWN Act (use the links below to act). Because in 2022, we don't have time for this.

Visit the following links to support the CROWN Coalition and the CROWN Act of 2021:
Join the CROWN Coalition: https://www.thecrownact.com/join-crown-act

Get help if you have experienced hair discrimination: https://www.thecrownact.com/hair-discrimination-help

2019 Dove CROWN Research Study: https://bit.ly/3ubzl9j

2019 Dove CROWN Research Study for Girls Infographic: https://bit.ly/3s8RZMe

Sign petition to support an end to hair discrimination in all 50 states and the District of Columbia (Washington, DC): https://www.dove.com/us/en/stories/campaigns/the-crown-act.html

Use online form to request your U.S. Senator’s support of the CROWN Act of 2021: https://www.thecrownact.com/email-your-senator

Upholding Tradition of Protest, Song in Latest 'Hair' Do

Dionne (Phyre Hawkins) and the rest of The Tribe in the latest production of "Hair." Photos by Joan Marcus.

BY TAMARA BECK

HATS off to the producers (The Public Theater with associate producers Jenny Gersten, S.D. Wagner, and John Johnson) for bringing the road company of the 2009 Tony-winning musical, “Hair, back for a short summer season.

“Hair,” subtitled “The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical” is at the St. James Theatre through 10 Sept. It is of and about the struggle against war and personal oppression, a struggle waged mostly by disenfranchised youth in the 1960s.

An anti-war protest musical, “Hair” is a living and breathing icon. Gerome Ragni, James Rado (book and lyrics) and Galt MacDermot (music) capture the times and they are brought to life on the stage in this immersive production directed by Diane Paulus. Karole Armitage’s choreography has the young actors crawling over the seats and running up and down the aisles.

Using a cast of relative unknowns gives “Hair” back its virginity. The street kids of “The Tribe” are still in high school or would be if they hadn’t run away or been expelled. This is a touring production of “Hair,” which stops at Dallas, Denver, West Palm Beach and several other cities before ending its run in Toronto in April 2012.(See video at http://www.hairontour.com/multimedia.php)

Despite its historic context, there is nothing coy in the setting of “Hair” and no plea that the audience understand that this is a period piece other than the costuming. Of course when “Hair” was first produced, off-Broadway in October 1967 and then on Broadway in April 1968, it was in and of the period. Fifty years ago in many corners, the debate over the Vietnam War and the Great Society’s ills devolved into one about appearances. “Hair” was a kind of shorthand for what addled the old folks about kids marching for justice and peace.

Paris Remillard as Claude and Steel Burkhardt as Berger with other members of the cast of "Hair."

The songs, most famously “Aquarius” and “Where Do I Go,” are tuneful and memorable, delivering their point with intelligence and humor.

In “Hair,” tie-dyed and drug-addled hippies burn draft cards, stage sit-ins and indulge in free love. Sheila (Caren Lyn Tackett) loves Berger (Steel Burkhardt) and Claude (Paris Remillard) loves Sheila, while Jeanie (Kacie Sheik) is in love with Claude. However, “Hair” is also about the freedom to love and the other great ‘60s social revolution.

While satirizing the racial divide, the original “Hair” put its money where its mouth was by casting black actors as leads in the ensemble. This was revolutionary and new to the stage since blacks were routinely cast as menials. Hud (Darius Nichols), sporting a huge afro that adds several inches to his already tall and lanky frame, provides reminders that the protests are not just against a war, but for civil rights as well.

As serious as its purpose is, “Hair” still has a lively and entertaining way of delivering a message that bears repeating. It remains relevant and it’s still a street party.

Visit http://www.hairontour.com/ to learn more about “Hair.”