In a groundbreaking step toward inclusive beauty, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul recently signed legislation that marks a major victory for the textured hair community. The recently passed law, known as Bill S6528A, aims to address the longstanding issue of limited education and training for hairstylists in dealing with diverse hair textures, which affects a significant portion of the population.

For too long, people with textured hair have struggled to find hairstylists who understand and cater to their unique needs. According to the Texture Education Collective, a whopping 66% of BIPOC models in high-fashion have encountered hairstylists who couldn’t accommodate their hair texture. This frustration extends to hairstylists as well, with 75% saying they want more education and training on different hair types.

The roots of the problem can be traced back to historical bias in the cosmetics industry, where textbooks and educational materials primarily featured images of Caucasian women with type 1 or 2 hair. This exclusionary history has led to a lack of natural hair education in cosmetology schools, leaving a substantial gap in the education of hair stylists.

Previous initiatives such as the CROWN Act, launched by California in 2019, aimed to combat racial discrimination. While 23 states, including New York, have passed similar legislation, the lack of protections at the federal level highlights the need for continued efforts to comprehensively address the issue.