As many of you have noticed I no longer have my lustrous locks, and it’s not the first time I’ve been bald. There are a few reasons I shaved my head and I think my argument might convince you to do the same.
First off, it’s hair and it will grow back. The only people who won’t get their hair back are those with alopecia or baldness, and in that case, you can speed up the process, and buy awesome wigs. For those who object right away and say, “Oh no! I could never shave my head!” Stop and ask yourself why. What in your mind is telling you you can’t? It’s a lifetime of society saying that long hair is sexy and anything else isn’t.
Think about it, every advertisement from burgers to tampons have women with long hair and some unseen fan blowing in their faces. Short hair is associated with either being a lesbian or high fashion in the media. Though short hair on women is much more mainstream, it is still considered “edgy” to do so. As you age it is more common to have shorter and shorter hair because you A) Don’t have hair to grow out or B) You don’t give a flying fuck. It isn’t until you become old enough to choose your hairstyle that you even have the option to go shorter, and usually don’t because most young girls have long hair.
My partner and I both had long hair and his was lovely and un-dyed so he is donating his, mine on the other hand is ruined and awful from bleaching. He asked me if I would cut my hair as well so we wouldn’t have to do it alone, and I agreed instantly. It took hours to take care of due to detangling, deep conditioning, cleaning, and so on. It didn’t help that my job is managing a greenhouse and I’m constantly in temperatures over 100 degrees so it has to be pulled back in a bun most days. Removing all the hair was the easiest solution to a hot mess. This is the general story I’ve stuck with.
In all honesty I also did it because I have been relying too heavily on my hair to feel beautiful. Even if I was having a bad outfit day or a bad skin day, my hair could save the day. I’d never been hit on as much as I was with long hair and it felt like when I wore my hair down that I had a shawl of pure sexuality around me. I basically chalked my level of attraction up to the fact that I had long hair. Throughout high school I had short hair, but it wasn’t until college that I found boys in excess to love up. Being a bit vain I of course didn’t think that maturing and becoming more confident in myself was helping. As I was showered with compliments I assumed it was because my hair was dope and my make up skills improving.
I think living in Korea sort of scarred me, I started to think that if I didn’t get compliments that I wasn’t beautiful. As my hair grew out and I became thinner (due to an eating disorder) I thought I was the sexiest I could possibly be. I was a woman that Korean men would want to sleep with. South Korea has a fucked up level of hate towards women and men who want to be outside the ordinary, and it took time for me to get past that mentality.
I shaved my head because I need to love myself again. My skin has been breaking out lately, I’ve been putting on weight, and I’m overworked and overtired. It’s difficult to find time for self love when you barely have the energy to shower in the evening. This is a way to wake up in the morning, throw on a dress and just say, “Damn, I’m hot.” I have to appreciate myself and not stake my femininity on the length of my hair. I have a partner who loves me, a kitten to raise, and jobs to apply for. Losing my hair is shedding an extra burden, and allowing myself to find me again.
I believe every person should be bald once in their lifetime. Hair is just that, hair. It doesn’t define you, it doesn’t make you beautiful, it’s just an accessory that is meant to be changed. Take a chance and love yourself just the way you are. Do it as an act of defiance and self love. If you can’t lose your hair, then you’re being trapped by an outdated stereotype of what constitutes beauty. There is nothing stopping you from being bald. Don’t let shame or embarrassment hold you back, just take the plunge and look in the mirror every morning and just see your beautiful self. Trust me, your self-esteem and confidence will sky rocket. Be the bald-headed queen you’re meant to be.