Anti Hair Braiding Laws in the U.S.?

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Dianne Austin

Dianne is the co-founder of Natural Haircare News and Coils To Locs.com. She's been blogging about natural hair ever since she made the decision to break free of the creamy crack in 2012.

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Here’s another story of how the business of natural hair clashes with state regulations. As we shared with you in the article New Law Paves the Way For Board Certification in Natural Haircare Specialty in Oregon, States require anyone working on hair professionally to complete cosmetology school.

But what do you do when you are forced to meet this requirement in order to work professionally, but the school doesn’t have any classes to teach you what you already know how to do – braid hair? Does it make any sense to spend thousands of dollars to go to school to learn how to relax and perm hair, or wax eyebrows?

The article “Natural Hair Baggage: Anti Braiding Laws, Policies Limit Options” speaks to this ongoing issue. You can read the excerpt below or the full article here.

From Politic365

For many black people, hair braiding is uneventful. Short of being overcharged or cornrowed by a stylist whose work produces baby Botox effects, (Tight braids, yanked hairlines and high eyebrows, anyone?) the service is ordinary. However, hair-braiding legislation and policies complicate many braiders’ ability to make an honest living.

There’s Yolanda Dings, a 36-year-old mother of one. A hair braider, she contacted the Des Moines Register about La’James International College in Johnston, Iowa. According to Dings, the school had students doing janitorial work and miscellaneous tasks unrelated to what they want to pursue. In a May story, the Register highlighted overlaps between the braids that Dings wants to provide and state-required expenses. Read more

Author: Dianne Shaddock

“Changing attitudes about natural hair” is what we do at Natural Haircare News. Through informative articles, podcasts and videos, we go beyond just sharing the latest advice and tips on kinky, curly, wavy haircare – We shake things up and focus on the realities of wearing our hair natural.