Why Short Hair Is Still A Feminist Statement
Your Haircut Is More Than A Styling Choice
The first time I cut my hair short, a boy at school told me I looked like a man. I felt terrible. To his defence, we were in 5th grade, and I looked like a man. My mom had to cut my hair extremely short after my sister thought chopping a sizable chunk off with a pair of children’s safety scissors was a good idea.
That was the first time I experienced the stigma associated with women wearing short hair. A stereotype which society bakes into our brains from a young age.
This episode happened over twenty years ago, but it has been far from the only one.
I have had short hair (never below my shoulder) for most of my adult life. It is just a matter of convenience: I work out a lot and loathe blow drying my hair. It is not a feminist statement of any sort, yet it feels like one.
Whenever I have gone from long hair to short ones, I always had people giving me their feedback, whether I asked for it or not. It’s like they feel compelled to pick a side. Men would tell me how they liked me best with long hair, whereas women will compliment my bravery. I will not comment on the fact that men I barely know think I must know whether they find me attractive, but I want to deep dive into this brave thing.
