My hair was always one of the things I was proudest of. When I was in elementary school, my mom would spend an hour every morning putting it up into the cutest half-up, half-down 'dos complete with sparkly little butterfly clips that all the moms and teachers at school loved. I lived for the moments of walking into a hair salon and having the ladies ask me if I got it colored and look all surprised when I said no.
As I got older, my hair became more of a security blanket for me. I was always insecure about my chubby cheeks and my broad shoulders, and I relied on my long hair to hide me a little bit. It felt like the one thing I had going for me.
But one day when I was 16 I decided I wanted to change things up and do something to take control of my body. And once I get an idea in my head, I've gotta do it. 24 hours later I was down a foot of hair and felt a lot freer.
I donated my hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, an organization that makes free wigs for girls and women who have lost their hair while fighting cancer. It's a wonderful cause that I totally recommend checking out, especially if you're thinking about getting a haircut anytime soon.
Cutting all of my hair off was an experience like no other. It sounds dramatic, but you really feel like a new person and like cutting off those literal dead ends is cutting off every metaphorical dead end in your life. I got to play with all kinds of new looks and styles and know that every day I had a bob that spoke to the strength and resilience of women fighting to feel beautiful while they fight for their lives.
A couple of weeks after I made this initial cut, I did something even more drastic. I cut off the remaining bob and officially rocked a pixie cut.
This was quite the decision. Of course, it was an impulsive one, and I didn't tell anyone I was doing it until it was already done. My father's reaction, clearly disapproving, was the most memorable.
But I was happy. I felt powerful and confident and even now, four years later and hair far past my shoulders, I'm so glad I did it. I think everyone should cut all their hair off at least once in their lives. Especially with the kinds of beauty standards that surround women, long hair certainly is a big part of it, it's a powerful feeling to be so defiant. And hey, showers take a lot less time.
Cut off all your hair. Donate it to women who want to feel at home in their bodies again. Experiment with what it means to feel at home in yours. At the very least, you'll look super badass.
