Olivier Serva proposed the bill

France has taken a significant step towards combating workplace discrimination based on hairstyles, with the approval of a bill in the National Assembly.

The legislation, which now moves to the Senate for further debate, aims to prohibit employers from imposing restrictions on natural hairstyles such as afros, dreadlocks, and braids.

The bill’s primary aim is to address discrimination faced by individuals, particularly black people, due to their hairstyle choices.

Although the legislation does not explicitly target race-based discrimination, it acknowledges the disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, including black women, who have reported being denied job opportunities because of their hair.

Proposed by Olivier Serva, a Member of Parliament from Guadeloupe, the bill draws attention to studies highlighting instances where individuals have faced exclusion from employment due to their hairstyle during interviews.

Serva emphasizes the need to combat discrimination, stereotypes, and bias against those who do not conform to Eurocentric beauty standards.

However, critics argue that existing French laws already prohibit the collection of personal data related to race or ethnicity, citing the country’s “universalist” principles.

Nevertheless, anti-racism advocates argue that the absence of explicit mention of “racism” in the bill is problematic, given the prevalence of negative comments and discrimination faced by individuals, particularly black women, due to their natural hair.

Daphne Bedinade, a social anthropologist, underscores the need to address the underlying issues faced by individuals targeted for their hair, emphasizing that hair discrimination disproportionately affects black women.

Guylaine Conquet, a journalist from Guadeloupe, shares her personal experience of societal pressure to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards, highlighting the challenges she faced upon transitioning to natural hair.

Conquet’s account underscores the pervasive nature of societal expectations and the impact on individuals’ self-perception and professional opportunities.

The bill’s advancement comes in the wake of a landmark legal victory by Aboubakar Traoré, a black Air France crew member, who fought for the right to wear braided hair on flights.

While the court’s decision focused on gender discrimination, Traoré’s case sheds light on the broader issue of hair discrimination and the need for legislative action to address systemic biases in the workplace.