TSA agrees to stop singling out Black women with natural hair

After various complaints, TSA has announced that it would stop targeting Black women’s hair when conducting pat-downs at airports.

TSA handles Black women hair differently

The announcement comes less than several months after the ACLU of Northern California filed a report with the TSA after receiving complaints from various Black women who claimed that they were targeted for pat-downs because of their hairstyles, such as Afros, locs and twist-outs. Victims claim that it is an invasion of privacy.

The security agency said that it would be providing re-training to its employees on reasonable searches, particularly focusing on Black women. It also promises to closely monitor all airports for any further instances of discrimination.

Humiliating experience

“The humiliating experience of countless Black women who are routinely targeted for hair pat-downs because their hair is ‘different’ is not only wrong, but also a great misuse of TSA agents’ time and resources,” said ACLU of Northern California attorney Novella Coleman in a press release.