Section 9 of the Equality Act 2010 needs to be updated to explicitly include hair texture and hairstyles as a protected feature of race. This update will help protect individuals from discrimination for wearing their natural hair and reduce systemic racism in schools and in the workplace.
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The Equality Act 2010 defines race to include colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins. But does not explicitly mention hair, which can be an indicative feature of African and Caribbean heritage.
Discrimination of black and dual heritage individuals with afro-textured hairstyles such as afros, braids and dreadlocks is unjust. Children are being suspended from schools for wearing their natural hair texture (BBC, 2020). Adults also face this same discrimination in the workplace (BBC, 2015).