Being a woman in this day and age can be tough. We are constantly obsessing over our figures, the way we dress and of course, our hair.
Even men have hopped on the luscious-locks train with man-buns and surfer-esque hair styles. I blame "Game of Thrones," but that's neither here nor there.
What fascinates me about our obsession with our hair is really just the fact that we care at all. I think of all the times I spent a solid hour getting my hair and face to look how I want, only to walk out into a rainy evening or maybe just a little too much precipitation in the air and boom, hair is ruined. Which somehow has always equated to my night being ruined. Pretty foolish, right?
And yet, many of us allow our hair to control so much of not only how we feel about ourselves, but our general mood. Somehow bad hair day = bad day.
We even allow social constructs about hair determine who we are and what we think of those around us. We swear that blondes have more fun, women with short hair must be lesbians and dudes with long hair are likely stoners. Fun fact: none of those things are determined by your hair!
When I was in 8th grade, as many 13 year old girls do, I had an identity crisis. I decided to cut my hair super short into a pixie cut that basically made me feel like I looked like a brunette TinkerBell. I was definitely feeling it. That was until I returned to school and most of my friends mocked me for getting a "dyke-cut". Up until that moment, I didn't think my hair held so much weight for my identity.
I cried a little and moved on, with the help of my mother reminding me multiple times, "It's only hair, it will grow back." And it did, and I kept being me.
A few days ago, I was talking to my best friend, Jacquie, who told me she was going to shave her head (yes, straight up G.I. Jane bald) to support the St. Baldrick's Foundation, a foundation who's mission is to work to eradicate childhood cancer.
She has already raised a ton to support this awesome foundation and is only a few months away from the big cut. Surely not an easy thing to decide to do, especially considering the fact that she has a freaking beautiful mane.
I have always whole heartedly believed that every woman should shave her head at least once in her lifetime as it must feel super freeing, but you certainly don't see me running to the buzz cutters.
I think what Jacquie is doing speaks beyond just her desire to help others, but to her comfort in her own skin. By shaving her head, albeit for a good cause, she is giving a big middle finger to all the things we let our hair define about us.
Now I'm not saying you shaving your head is the only way to break the constructs, but consider the thing you've always wanted to do to your hair, but told yourself you couldn't. Now tell yourself you can and do it! You only get one life, don't spend it worrying about what's on your head but instead, what's inside of it.
If you're interested in helping my friend Jacquie in her cause and want to raise some money to fight childhood cancer, head here to donate!
