Traditionally, men have short hair for battle. Short hair can’t be pulled on and it doesn’t get in the way, so long ago, when men were the ones going to war, short hair became the norm. Women throughout history have had long hair. Long sensuous hair that rolls down luxuriously from a perfectly quaff bun. Most models have long hair, and the idea of long soft strands framing a women’s face, and her tresses brushing against her hips is the ideal beauty standard.

But not for me.

I cut off my hair. It began when I was in 1^st grade. I have thick curly hair and a sensitive skelp. Such a combination meant that brushing it every day was a challenge. I would cry as my mom tried as gently as possible to brush through the tangles, but each day it was a battle, so that year, the day before I started the first grade, I brought one of my dolls with a chin length plastic bob and told my hair dresser that was what I wanted. She cut my hair and I loved it, no more tangles and everyone else seemed to love it to.

It wasn’t until recently that my mom let me in on the criticism she faced from other women after letting me get my bob. Left and right women criticized her for cutting off my “beautiful curls.”

My hair is something I have never felt compelled to justify. It never seemed necessary, but maybe, it is. My reasons now are very different from the ones I had as a child, but to anyone who questions my choice, this is what I say:

I cut my hair in protest. Short hair is the product of my objection to society’s ridiculous beauty standards. Short hair is how I speak against society’s expectations of women. It’s expected that I smile, and look feminine, but maybe I would rather look strong and mysterious. Short hair is my silent protest to the system of feminine attractiveness.

I cut my hair to feel strong. I must be ready to battle the cat calls and comments that come along with being female (and when I look tough, my mind doesn’t worry so much that someone might, grab me by the pussy). I want people to look at me and see grit before beauty. Having short hair helps me walk with my head held high.

I cut my hair because I’m more than just a pretty face. I am a thinker, I am a scholar, I am intelligent, and I am resilient. I don’t need long strands to accentuate my beauty because I am so much more than pretty. I don’t need long hair to make me look beautiful to anyone because my intelligence is all the beauty I need. I don’t need long hair to adhere to another one of society’s misogynistic beauty standards, I make my own standards of beauty.

I cut my hair because I have better things to do in the morning than spend an hour making sure every strand is in place. I have articles to write, business to do, a job to get to, and relationships to build.

I cut my hair because I like unique. I feel right at home with the misfits and outcasts. Short hair is the first step I can take to distance myself from normal and close the gap between myself and the misfits of society.