Democrat Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro could be eying a 2028 White House run, and his signing off on a bill officially outlawing “hair discrimination” in the Keystone State is pure pandering to the black voters he’s going to need to win over.
On Tuesday, Shapiro officially expanded racial protections under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) “to include traits historically associated with race, including hair texture, protective hairstyles, and religious creed,” according to a press release from the governor’s office.
Now, the discrimination against “hair texture” and “protective hairstyles” will be treated as discriminating against a person because of the color of their skin in schools and workplaces.
The governor signed the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) into law during a ceremony at the Island Design Natural Hair Studio in West Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and supporters of the CROWN ACT gathered in Philadelphia to sign the bill into law on Tuesday. The law is designed to prevent hair discrimination in the workplace, schools, and places of business in Pennsylvania. https://t.co/e1J7ksfm9k pic.twitter.com/oOjlUqQqAY
— ABC News (@ABC) November 25, 2025
“Real freedom means being respected for who you are — no matter what you look like, where you come from, who you love, or who you pray to,” Shapiro said. ”For too long, many Pennsylvanians have faced discrimination simply for hairstyles that reflect their identity and culture — that ends today.”
According to the press release: “The CROWN Act prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or applicants based on hairstyles such as locs, braids, twists, coils, Bantu knots, afros, and extensions, while still allowing businesses to enforce valid health and safety policies that apply equally to all employees.”
Shapiro quoted Bible scripture to tout the Commonwealth’s new law that activists and civil rights lawyers will be thankful for.
“‘For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart., 1 Samuel 16:17,” the governor wrote in a Tuesday post to X. “We’ve got to start seeing people – not for how they look on the outside – but for who they are on the inside, and by signing the CROWN Act into law, that’s exactly what we’re doing here in Pennsylvania.”
The law against “hair discrimination” drew an incredulous reaction from X users who shared their thoughts.
Democrats are the gallbladder sludge of the American body politic. They are simply out of their minds.
“Hair discrimination” law takes the cake. https://t.co/T3VhGBjEmg
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) November 26, 2025
This is STUPID. What a waste of time. How about fixing the roads or reducing the electricity bills, get rid of the damn LED lights causing headaches and crashes on the highways, good grief there’s important things you could be doing
— MtLilly (@MtLilly1976) November 26, 2025
Oh good, crisis solved.
I’m sure Pennsylvanians everywhere can finally sleep at night knowing the government has stepped in to protect… hairstyles.
Truly the top issue of our time.
— Leading Wire (@LeadingWire) November 26, 2025
While pennsylvania’s energy company, PECO is raising the rates on everybody on December 1 by 6%. Then it’s supposed to go up another 15% in the new year.
Not to mention the hospitals that have closed down in multiple places in the PA area.
But sure hair styles are our biggest…
— Nick Roberts (@pieholders) November 26, 2025
Next up, tattoo discrimination, followed by nose ring discrimination, toxic attitude discrimination, and of course lack of personal hygiene discrimination. Employers will soon have to hire the first person who walks in the door just to avoid being sued.
— Barn2bWild (@barn_d) November 26, 2025
The “Crown Act” huh?
Now your hair is a crown and your children can do anything they want as long as their hair is worn a certain way and they’re a certain color?
The supreme court needs to strike this down as unconstitutional and the leaders need impeachment. https://t.co/h99MNZLOe5— Robert Alberoni II (@BillofRights007) November 26, 2025
Wow. This is so powerful.
This is just like the MLK speech in 1963.
Our grandchildren will be celebrating this moment.
Documentaries will be made.
Never forget.
Hair racism was abolished on this day.— Mr Reagan (@MrReaganUSA) November 26, 2025
“With the signing of this bill, Pennsylvania becomes the 28th state in the nation to prohibit discrimination based on hair texture and protective hairstyles historically associated with race, ensuring that all Pennsylvanians can live and work without fear of racial bias in their hair or appearance. According to a 2022 Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) report, 916 complaints were filed that year alone related to racial discrimination involving hair texture and protective hairstyles,” the governor’s press release states.
“Hair discrimination has taken confidence from our children, but that ends today,” said Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes (D-PA). “Hair discrimination has taken dignity from workers, but that ends today. It has taken access to economic opportunities, hopes and dreams, but that begins to end today.”
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