In the last 7 years, I have colored my hair well over 50 times. I have spent countless hours watching YouTube videos on how to color my hair in order to retain the integrity of it. I get good grades, I work hard, and I currently have blue hair.
BLUE.
For three years out of those seven I had very unnatural, dark, funky red hair. More times than I can count I have heard, "Why do you color your hair?" The only answer I could muster up is, "it's fun", and it is! However, what does my hair color have to do with you? More so, what does my hair color have to do with my character?
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
I will never be able to understand the stigma around unnatural hair colors. I have been super blonde, red, pink, purple, green, blue, a funky sea-foam green, silver, and, of course, the more natural colors like light and dark brown. I've gotten the most flack from teachers and employers about the extremely unnatural colors, the purples, pinks, blues and greens, and I can't, for the life of me, understand why. When I color my hair, I have a new life about me. Change feels INCREDIBLE. That feeling flows through my work and my ability to work. Having fun colors in my life makes my world a little bit brighter.
In middle school, I had these clip-in colored extensions, almost every young girl had them at some point. Mine were this really vibrant orange color, and against my natural light brown, they really stood out. I remember being told to go to the office in the middle of science class. I was sent to the principal's office for CLIP-IN EXTENSIONS. If they were blonde or black, I could have gotten away with it, but because they were orange I was "a distraction to the class". That's like those dress codes that are against girls showing their collarbones.
COLLARBONES AFFECT NOTHING.
Just like my clip-in extensions did not affect my peer's ability to learn.
Since then I have been fortunate enough to be in jobs that aren't affected by hair color. I worked in retail, where they don't judge you on your hair color or how many tattoos you have. I currently work as a receptionist at an art and design school, if they were against colored hair or tattoos, they would have a hard time finding student workers.
The only explanation I can find is that people are less likely to approach you when you have a more unnatural hair color, and that's slightly true, but why? Children and young adults alike have no problem approaching me in a store and asking me questions when I'm working or even tell me they like my hair. I always reply with a smile and a thank you, or with the answer to their question. Sometimes I think I have to be overly nice when I have unnaturally colored hair, but I shouldn't have to be. I should be able to be myself and do my job, without judgement and without prejudice.
To me, it's like being vegan. Coloring my hair is a choice I have made, and ultimately I have to deal with the repercussions. However, just like all restaurants should have a vegan option to appease the masses, no work space should pass judgement on the color of my hair, or tattoos, or piercings. This world would be a much better place if we didn't judge people on what they decide to do with their own bodies.
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