The bill was introduced by Olivier Serva, a member of parliament from the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. He says if it eventually becomes law, France would become the first country in the world to ban discrimination on the basis of hair.
“This is a big step for our country,” Serva said after the vote. “France can be proud of itself.”
The bill does not specifically address discrimination based on race, although that was the primary motivation for the bill. “People who do not conform to Eurocentric standards face discrimination, stereotypes and prejudices,” Serva told the AP news agency.
Senate
The bill had a majority of 44 to 2 in the French lower house. The French Senate will now also look at the law. Opposition is expected there, because there are many right-wing and right-wing conservative politicians there. Opponents of the bill see it as an attempt to implement American ideas about race and discrimination in France.
