Dove believes Black women and girls should have the freedom to wear their hair how they choose without the fear of job loss or education. As CROWN Coalition co-founders committed to ending race-based hair discrimination nationwide, Dove continues to advocate for local and federal governments to pass The CROWN Act to help protect the estimated 2.3 million Black children nationwide who are most vulnerable to race-based hair discrimination. Currently, The CROWN Act is law in 14 states (CA, CT, CO, DE, IL, MD, NE, NM, OR, NY, NJ, NV, VA, WA) and 34 municipalities.
 
As a result, the Unilever-owned company released a new body of research, “Dove 2021 CROWN Research Study for Girls,” unveiling the alarming rate and young age at which Black girls experience hair discrimination in schools. The data was revealed in a special online event for beauty editors on Jan. 25.
 
 As part of the brand’s ongoing commitment to ending race-based hair discrimination via The CROWN Act legislation (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), the study reveals that 53% of Black mothers, whose daughters have experienced hair discrimination, say their daughters experienced the discrimination as early as 5 years old, and approximately 86% of Black teens who experience discrimination have endured it by the age of 12.
 
Fueled by these research findings, Dove released a short film, As Early As Five, inspired by the far too many real stories of those who have experienced hair discrimination and bias in both schools and the workplace. As Early As Five depicts three scenarios of race-based hair discrimination experienced by a girl – starting in elementary school, in high school and into adulthood – all inspired by real life events.
 


 
Through this campaign, Dove continues its mission to raise awareness for CROWN Act legislation and spark urgency among parents, school administrators and advocates to sign The CROWN Act petition at Dove.com/CROWN to make race-based hair discrimination illegal nationwide.
 

Hair Care Expert Insight 

“Our groundbreaking 2019 CROWN research study revealed that Black women are 80% more likely to change their hair from its natural state to fit in at the office. Now, this new body of research illuminates the pervasive nature and deep impact hair discrimination has on Black girls highlighting the horrific multi-generational impact of narrow beauty standards in America. These biases continue to perpetuate unfair scrutiny and discrimination against Black women and girls for wearing hairstyles inherent to our culture. This is unacceptable and why it is imperative that everyone join the movement to make hair discrimination illegal nationwide through the passage of The CROWN Act,” said EVP & COO of Unilever North America Esi Eggleston Bracey in the online event.


 
Join Dove in the movement to make race-based hair discrimination illegal and ensure a positive change for the next generation by signing The CROWN Act petition at Dove.com/CROWN.
 
For 60 years, Dove has been committed to broadening the narrow definition of beauty in the work they do. With the ‘Dove Real Beauty Pledge,’ Dove vows to:  
 

• Portray women with honesty, diversity and respect. We feature women of different ages, sizes, ethnicities, hair color, type, and style.  
• Portray women as they are in real life, with zero digital distortion and all images approved by the women they feature.  
• Help young people build body confidence and self-esteem through the Dove Self-Esteem Project, the biggest provider of self-esteem education in the world.

 

More On The CROWN Coalition

The CROWN Coalition is a national alliance founded by Dove, National Urban League, Color Of Change and Western Center on Law & Poverty, to end race-based hair discrimination in America. The Coalition, now consisting of 85 supporting organizations, is the founder of the CROWN Act movement and was the official sponsor of the inaugural CROWN Act legislation in California in 2019. For a full list of CROWN Coalition members, visit www.thecrownact.com.