Why patriarchy fears the scissors: for women, short hair is a political statement

[MadrasT]

Last edited Tue Jan 28, 2014, 04:11 PM - Edit history (1)

Written in response to a writer who goes by "Tuthmosis" who wrote a piece entitled "Girls With Short Hair are Damaged"

Why patriarchy fears the scissors: for women, short hair is a political statement

(excerpt)

He writes that long hair is “almost universally attractive to men, when they’re actually speaking honestly. . . Women instinctively know this, which is why every American girl who cuts, and keeps, her hair short often does it for ulterior reasons . . . Short hair is a political statement. And, invariably, a girl who has gone through with a short cut – and is pleased with the changes in her reception – is damaged in some significant way. Short hair is a near-guarantee that a girl will be more abrasive, more masculine, and more deranged.”

The essential argument is: men like long hair, and what sane woman would ever want to do anything that decreases her capacity to please men?

The advantage of articles like this, pantomimic though they be, is that they make misogyny legible. There was a time when feminists had to do that all by ourselves, but now we don't have to point out the underlying assumptions of a lot of the bullshit we deal with every day, because there are people on the internet doing it for us.

So I’m almost grateful to Tuthmosis for writing this particular piece of recreational sexist linkbait. I thought I'd never have an even passably good reason to write about how little things like short hair change the way patriarchy responds to you.

I thought her response was fantastic... wish I could quote more here. Much more at link...

Link: http://www.newstatesman.com/laurie-penny/2014/01/why-patriarchy-fears-scissors-women-short-hair-political-statement

I have had very short hair and very long hair... men have told me I should grow it when it was short, but never that I should cut it when it is long. I can say that when I grew it long, it was sometimes because I cared more about how I appeared to men... and sometimes because I was too lazy or busy to bother going for a haircut. When it was short, I didn't do it to make a statement, so much as for convenience, and at the same time, because I decided I just didn't really care about using my hair to attract men. The men I have met who care that much about hair are usually kind of shallow and sexist anyway.