Whitmer vows to out-compete states 'spreading hate,' signs anti-discrimination bill

Lansing — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer promised that Michigan will out-compete other states that are "more focused on spreading hate" Thursday, moments before she signed a bill into law that bans racial discrimination targeting a person's natural hairstyle.

At a ceremony inside a sports apparel store in Lansing, Whitmer, a Democrat who has made growing Michigan's population a focal point of her second term, said hair-based discrimination has been used to deny opportunities for Black Americans.

"It shows our kids that they are beautiful and they are loved exactly the way that they are," Whitmer said of the new law. "Michigan is a state where we stand up for fundamental rights and freedoms."

She vowed later, "Michigan will continue to grow and out-compete other states that are more focused on spreading hate and dividing people."

Whitmer didn't mention any states by name. But she has previously said she wants to go to states with strict laws against abortion and "start stealing" business headquarters. Michigan voters approved a constitutional amendment in November to safeguard abortion rights.

Michigan had 10,050,811 people as of July 1, 2021, a decline of 26,520 people from the 10,077,331 people the state had as of April 1, 2020, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The downward shift marked the first time in more than a decade Michigan lost population in an annual census estimate.

"If you live in a state that refuses to let you live your life and build a path to prosperity, the message is simple: Come to Michigan," Whitmer said Thursday.

With Whitmer's signature on the new proposal, Michigan joins 20 other states that have already enacted policies known as the CROWN Act. The acronym CROWN stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair."

The law amends Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to specify that racial discrimination focused on "hair texture and protective hairstyles" is prohibited in employment decisions, housing and education. "Protective hairstyles" include braids, locks and twists, according to the language of the policy.

State Sen. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, championed the legislation, which stalled the previous two terms when Republicans controlled the House and Senate. But Democrats won majorities in November, providing a path for the proposal to get to Whitmer's desk.

Anthony said the world had tried to reinforce that Black people's braids, twists and cornrows were not acceptable in workplaces and educational institutions.

"Hair discrimination is nothing more than thinly veiled racial discrimination," Anthony said.

Doug Scott and his daughter, Marian Scott, also appeared at the press conference Thursday. In 2019, when Marian was in third grade at a school in Jackson, she was denied the opportunity to have her class picture taken because of red extensions in her hair.

"To be pulled to the side and told you're not taking your pictures, it's devastating to a young child," Doug Scott said.

Thursday's bill signing showed "the world we are taking action to" make sure Michigan is a "more equitable and inclusive place," Whitmer said. The governor said she had heard countless stories of Black Michiganians being denied jobs or health care because of their natural hair.

The event in Lansing came three months after Whitmer signed separate legislation to expand the state's civil rights law to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Since 2019, a national coalition has encouraged states to approve measures against hair-based discrimination. The organizations involved in the campaign include the company Dove and the National Urban League.

The coalition has labeled race-based hair discrimination "a systemic problem in the workplace — from hiring practices to daily workplace interactions — disproportionately impacting Black women's employment opportunities and professional advancement."

Black women's hair is two and half times more likely to be perceived as unprofessional, according to a survey earlier this year of 2,990 female respondents, conducted on behalf of Dove.

The CROWN Act bill passed with heavy support in the Michigan House and Senate. Only five of the 38 senators voted against it.

One of the opposition votes came from Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, who said the language of the proposal was too open ended and could allow someone to take advantage of the policy.

cmauger@detroitnews.com

Staff Writer Hayley Harding contributed.