Puerto Rico bans discrimination against those who wear Afros and other hairstyles on diverse island

Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico’s governor has signed a law that prohibits discrimination against people wearing Afros, twists, braids and other hairstyles in the racially diverse U.S. territory. The move was celebrated Wednesday by those who had long demanded explicit protection related to work, housing, education and public services. While Puerto Rico’s laws and constitution protect from discrimination, along with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, a precedent was set in 2016 when a U.S. Court of Appeals dismissed a discrimination lawsuit and ruled that an employer’s no-dreadlock policy in Alabama did not violate Title VII. Earlier this year, legislators in Puerto Rico held a public hearing on the issue.