Apparently I’m Unattractive, Unless I Buy This Product…

The world is changing and some people are having trouble keeping up and/or changing with it. I don’t get offended very often by sexism, stupid comments or ignorance. I just shake my head and move on. Today however I actually reacted. I wasn’t exactly pissed off, it was more like “seriously?”

There was a suggested post on my Facebook for some product that will make you grow/regrow long luxurious hair quickly.  I was a little confused why I was targeted for such an ad since I cut my hair off this year (probably asked and answered). I haven’t looked up anything to do with long hair or hair products of any type, plus I don’t experience hair loss (the ad does not really target this, it barely mentions hair loss). Normally I ignore ads on FB unless they are writing related but this one grabbed my attention.

Really? I had an irritated moment. I immediately thought “I don’t give a shit what 93% of men prefer.” Then I laughed. I clicked on the ad and it got even more ridiculous. Besides the misspellings there was only bold unsubstantiated claims and ego wrenching statements. The first line of the ‘article’ said that a woman’s hair is her livleyhood. Yes spelled that way. Then added:

According to a recent survery 93% of men agreed that a women’s hair is the most important attribute over all others.

Again, yes with the spelling. The reader is called girlfriend, which implies it’s written by a woman (for shame) and apparently researchers were stunned by the results. FFS people. It’s offensive that they are saying most men won’t find me attractive unless I use their product and grow my hair long. It’s more offensive that they think I would be swayed by this.

Do they think every woman with short hair is going to read their ad and say ‘Guess I better get to growing it out or I’m gross?’ Oh and I better tell my daughter to cut her long hair off since she doesn’t like men. That way she only has to fend off 7% male attention. The ad stated women with longer hair are more confident. GIRLFRIEND, do you know how much confidence it takes to pull off a pixie cut?

I don’t care what anyone else thinks I should look like/be/think. Ads don’t manipulate me. Not even Jif commercials work on me (choosy moms…). It’s a dumb way to market a product. It’s like saying “93% of women prefer men who don’t wear skinny jeans.” Wait, maybe that’s just me…Ignore that last part and Justin if you’re reading this, PLEASE don’t buy skinny jeans just because I was being hypocritical!

Now I’m not going to lie, I believe it’s probably true that the majority of men like long hair. I hope most women don’t care. My husband likes my hair long or short but even if he wanted it long I wouldn’t grow it out again. I prefer it short so short it stays. I can’t be short hair shamed. Even if it affected my ego I remember what it’s like to have tangles and I’m never going back! How I look shouldn’t be determined by the wishes of anyone but me.

Unfortunately since curiosity got the better of me and I clicked the ad, I will be getting more and more ads like it. They will fit right in with all the other unusual things popping up after doing research for stories. I’m writing about a war with ghosts so you can imagine the kinds of stuff I’ve looked up.

***NSA I am a writer, I only want to know how to make homemade weapons with salt ammunition and how long it takes to drown a possessed person for my book!***

If nothing else good came of this the ad got me writing when I didn’t feel like it. So thanks dumb sexist ad.

Sidenote: If you are wanting longer, thicker, fuller hair and want to try a product like this, go for it. You do you.

Changes

Sometimes people just need a change in their lives. It could be little, like a man shaving off his beard or growing a goat-tee. Other times it’s bigger, like a mid-life crisis car, or a major wardrobe overhaul. For me, it was a haircut.

This was no ordinary haircut. Oh it started out that way, but changed quickly, and often. I went into the salon and explained that I wasn’t absolutely positive what I wanted to do, but I wanted the back of my hair a little shorter than the front, then I asked for the stylist’s advice.

Her name was Elyssa and she was almost good at keeping a straight face but I caught the ‘oh crap’ look in her eyes. I found out during the cut that she was new, not only at the salon, but she had recently graduation from cosmetology school.

We started with a bobbed style. I hated it. That’s a lie, it was super cute, but it wasn’t really what I wanted. Too bad for her, I still didn’t know what I wanted. She made a few suggestions and she cut a bit more off. This cycle repeated a few times until my hair was sitting right along my jaw line, which was three inches shorter than when I got there.

I would have left it like that but Elyssa wasn’t stupid, she could tell I wasn’t really happy with it. I assured her that she had done a fine job. My hair looked great. She modestly agreed but told me she wasn’t letting me out of her chair until I was satisfied.

She called another stylist over and we all discussed my hair some more, looked at a few pictures and I finally made a decision.

I feel the need to explain myself a bit here. Normally when it comes to my hair I’m very decisive. I go in knowing what I want. I tell the person cutting what I want, ask for advice if they don’t think it will work, then get the haircut. Simple, quick, easy.

My hair backstory this time changed all that. I wore my hair short for most of my adult life. Then four years ago I decided to grow it out. Two months ago I cut nine inches off. Ever since then I’ve been trying to find the right length, all while trying to avoid going back to really short.

Did I say people sometimes need a change? Well in this case I needed a change back.

When I told Elyssa exactly what to do I thought she was going to fall over. What I asked for was basically the opposite of what I’d originally told her I wanted, and complicated. Let me remind you, she had little experience. I wasn’t scared, she’d done great, not only with the cutting, but the dealing with her indecisive customer. Plus, my hair grows fast, so even if I didn’t like it, it would look different in a couple of weeks.

She had to get advice a couple of times and I had to point out things she missed a couple of time but we got it done. It’s short in the front, extremely short in the back. I love it! In a way I look like myself again. It’s no wonder I was never happy after the first big cut months ago. I’m glad I finally stopped avoiding what I wanted all along.

I hate taking my own picture, but I wanted to show the results.