Posted on 02/18/2019 5:53:30 AM PST by Sub-Driver
New York City to Ban Discrimination Based on Hair
New guidelines out this week give legal recourse to individuals who have been harassed, punished or fired because of the style of their hair.
By Stacey Stowe
Feb. 18, 2019
Under new guidelines to be released this week by the New York City Commission on Human Rights, the targeting of people based on their hair or hairstyle, at work, school or in public spaces, will now be considered racial discrimination.
The change in law applies to anyone in New York City but is aimed at remedying the disparate treatment of black people; the guidelines specifically mention the right of New Yorkers to maintain their “natural hair, treated or untreated hairstyles such as locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, fades, Afros, and/or the right to keep hair in an uncut or untrimmed state.”
In practice, the guidelines give legal recourse to individuals who have been harassed, threatened, punished, demoted or fired because of the texture or style of their hair. The city commission can levy penalties up to $250,000 on defendants that are found in violation of the guidelines and there is no cap on damages. The commission can also force internal policy changes and rehirings at offending institutions.
The move was prompted in part by investigations after complaints from workers at two Bronx businesses — a medical facility in Morris Park and a nonprofit in Morrisania — as well as workers at an Upper East Side hair salon and a restaurant in the Howard Beach section of Queens. (The new guidelines do not interfere with health and safety reasons for wearing hair up or in a net, as long as the rules apply to everyone.)
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I’m not surprised. You think African-Americans love Wagner?
Depends. Are you polishing it to blind those who dare look at you?
The intended result of this is that anyone with strange hair will be able to exert power over employers by claiming that he/she was fired for his/her hair, when it really was about incompetence.
Does this mean that it’s now a crime in New York to refer to Trump as “Cheeto head”?
I’d smack him just on principle.
Larry David approves.
Of course, they mean the long dreadlocks that look like hair that hasn’t been washed in decades...poor employers!
I’m not prepared to say whether African-Americans as a group love Wagner or not. (Although a very prominent African-American bass at the Met did a widely- acclaimed portrayal of Alberich in Das Rhinegold a couple of years ago and is now preparing to sing Wotan.)
As for Afro hair styles in the audience, I guess it comes down to Groucho Marx’s quip - should I believe my “own lying eyes”? (I have subscriptions to the Met, the NY Phil, and the NYC Ballet and I see what I see.)
Never grab hair dryer with wet hands.
“...so her S-—h would match!”
So the saucer matches the cup?
“This is Mary. Color her pretty. Then, color the rest of her.”
It was so disgusting I walked out without ordering food/drink.
I don't go out to eat much any more...too many of the privileged classes flicking their filth on food.
Well, I have had up until last Nov. a subscription to ABT for years and am a regular patron at the Met and no, I’m not aware of all these African-Americans you see soaking up the kulcha. And that’s too bad.
Of course, there are black people on stage. What has that got to do with it?
Touche!
Now, now, stop mischaracterizing what I said.
First, you sarcastically asked me whether the African-American community loved Wagner. Performers are part of that community, no? So that is what that has to do with it. And as far as opera is concerned (not only Wagner), you can go all the way back to Paul Robeson, Marian Anderson, Leontyne Pryce, William Warfield, and on to Kathleen Battle, George Shirley, Eric Owens, Pretty Yende, among many others.
Second, I never said there were hordes of African-Americans at performances. But the audience does consist of some, some of whom come with big Afro’s, which has been commented on. (This is quite different from saying there are never any, as you maintain.)
So let’s stop characterizing the African-American community as a bunch of Philistines who are completely divorced from any interest in Classical music.
Who said they were philistines, Mr. PC? African-Americans support their churches which often feature brilliant music as well as rousing preaching. But they do not support opera, ballet, theater - including the wonderful works of August Wilson, ok?
Some additional African-American opera stars, for your information: Reri Grist, Grace Bumbry, Lawrence Brownlee.
Of course, it’s inconceivable that any of these people I’ve mentioned should have some relatives or friends who might just go to the Met to see them. (Especially if some of these relatives supported their musical education when they were growing up.) Or that some of the stars I mentioned just might be in the audience to watch someone else perform. Nope. No African-Americans at the Met.
Moving on from opera to other milieus:
Andre Watts is a living legend.
And don’t forget Condoleeza Rice, who was a concert pianist at one time.
And surely you must be aware (as an ABT subscriber) of the debut of an African-American as the Swan Queen. No African-Americans came to see her? Ah, so sad.
As far as support is concerned: I see some African-Americans at Met Patron events. At the welcome/cocktail reception for Yannick, there were some African-Americans there (gasp) and they even posed for pictures with him. At the dress rehearsal for Falstaff today, some African-Americans were there.
So no African-American is to be seen at the opera and they won’t support it? Not even when the Met does Porgy and Bess next season?
That just isn’t the case. (Not every African-American is from The Projects.)
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