Women have been cutting their hair shorter and shorter for decades now. Audrey Hepburn wore her hair short in her film "Roman Holiday," and ever since then the hairstyle has grown in popularity. But what about women shaving their heads? Why did this begin and what does it mean?

For a while, it was derogatory for a woman's head to be shaved. It was a form of punishment. An example of this is in WWII when women were forced to shave their heads in internment camps, just like everyone else in the camps. This made them less than human, because their oppressors took away both their individuality and their human rights to consent of what happens to their bodies.

Why was shaving a woman's head corporal punishment? Because a woman's hair is linked to her femininity, and when you shave a woman's head you apparently take away aspects of her that make her a woman.

So then why did women start shaving their heads voluntarily? Because a woman's hair is not linked to her status as a woman. For some, long hair is empowering, and that allows them to feel good about themselves and feel empowered as a woman who is an individual who can control her own appearance. But for some, they weren't exactly feeling the hype.

Britney Spears is famous for shaving her head in the middle of her career. The public responded to this extremely negatively, because a woman is supposed to be beautiful, not bald. But who says you can't have both? Britney did something that made her feel comfortable. Something that transferred the power to her, not to her so-called "adoring" fans. She took her individuality and her own agenda into her own hands.

Women who shave their heads are mostly categorized as radical. Crazy bra-burning feminists who hate men (not actually feminists by the way) who just have an agenda to make a fuss and be militant. This is a terrible association, and in no ways correct.

Women have the right to do whatever they want with their bodies, whether it's to be scantily clad outside of the house, to choose to get an abortion, or to cut all of their hair off. Women shave their heads because they are acting upon their basic human rights.

Sometimes there's an agenda behind it. People may do it to support cancer, some to give a big middle finger to the patriarchy, but some just do it because it allows them to feel empowered. Women are allowed to do anything they want with their bodies in order to feel comfortable with them. For some, this is the act of shaving their head.

So when you see a woman proudly displaying the fuzz on the top of her head, do not assume that she is radical, crazy, or trying to push anything. Just see her as someone who is proud of who they are, and is showing the world that they are comfortable in their own bodies, and they ain't afraid to show it.

Express yourself in a way that makes you feel strong. For some, this means hearing that satisfying buzz and see the hair fall to the floor. For others, they are walking a different path. Everyone should feel empowered by the decisions that they make about their own bodies, and we should accept all forms of expression of confidence as valid. So if you like to wear dresses, or pants, or anything at all. If you like your hair long, short, or not existent, you should feel proud of your decisions, and you should flaunt your stuff, because being woman is powerful. Being woman is strong. No matter the vessel you might travel in.