Length/Style double standard

Please help me to understand the thinking behind hairstyles and lengths as they pertain to men and women. Time and time again I see posts where women are wanting short hair, even buzzcuts and flattops. Most times these women are encouraged to go for it. In efect these girls are getting haircuts that are shorter and shorter and according to traditional thinking more masculine. Also, as I look around each day for beautiful women I see many of them with really short hair. It seems that women can have any length or style of hair that they want. Men on the other hand seem to be forced to adhere to short cuts with no options of going long or trying different styles to see what best suites their face and features. Why is it that women have the freedom to do whatever they want with their hair but men do not? I am a guy and truthfully I look like a dork with short hair. Therefore I chose to let it grow and in consulting with a stylist determined that a nice bob below my ears with bangs would be the best style for me. I now have my hair cut in that below the ear bob with bangs and I love it. The problem is that I can tell that other people give me strange looks and no doubt talk about me behind my back. I really don't care about that but what is the big deal here? Each person looks good with their own style and men should have the right to have a longer style and the right to choose a style that fits their features just like women. This isn't true now. So why the double standard?

Seeing that no one is posting it must mean that everyone agrees that there is a huge double standard. It is wrong and we need to do something to change this and overcome it. As a guy I want more options for my hair and more freedom to be me.

Who says that they were giggling about your hair. Maybe they thought you were cute. Girls giggle at all kinds of things.

Women should have long hair, at least to the shoulder blades. Men should have short hair, above the collar and above the ears and out of the face. Period, end of story.

Mckee, I don`t understand why you think that some styles are still meant for girls. I mean probably the majority of women these days (if not the majority then pretty close) have these short shag cuts and boy cuts. Some girl look very attractive with those styles to me. And some guys look better with longer styles as in my case. I guess what I am driving at is who is to say what styles and lengths a guy or girl should wear? If the girls can have boy haircuts (and some women do have very short to even crew cuts) then why can`t guys wear longer cuts/styles that were traditionally girls styles? I really don`t care if people think that I have a girls hairstyle because it is my hair and I wear it the way that I like it and that is this one length bob below my ears with bangs. I just don`t understand how and where the lines get drawn as to length and styles for guys and girls. I also don`t understand why any style or length should be reserved for a guy or a girl. Can anyone help me here?

quote:

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David Justin Lynch originally wrote:
Women should have long hair, at least to the shoulder blades. Men should have short hair, above the collar and above the ears and out of the face. Period, end of story.

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Excuse me? Umm, that is a majorly sexist remark. Maybe girls want their hair short , or maybe guys want their hair long.
Besides the fact, the "period, end of story" made it sound like you were stating a fact, not an opinion.-COME ON. Grow up.
-Tracee

I don`t really see anything wrong with having long hair and being a guy as long as its taken care off and doesn`t look greasy or anything like that. I knew a man who had long hair and always kepted it back in a braid, to me it looked fine and one day he cut it all off and he looked totally differnt I never thought anything bad about him just because he had long hair.

Bobbedguy:Just a question: Don`t you go to the chickclick message boards as well as other hair forums or websites for girls and women?

I do take very good care of my hair. I wash it and condition it every day and then use a round brush and blow dryer to style it. I just love the versatility and swing that my hair has. I must say that I probably don`t have the most masculine facial features but then I think that is one reason that my stylist suggested this style because it fits my facial features. That is something that most guys aren`t afforded I think. I mean they get a haircut that is "proper" for a guy or a cut that is "in style" whether it looks good on them or not. Personally I think that most guys allow society to strip them of their personality and self expression because they feel that they MUST have a short haircut. I`m not letting them do that to me. Besides, who has been nominated to say what is feminine and what is masculine? I mean more and more girls and women are getting these really short boy cuts and crew cuts so why isn`t it acceptable for guys to get longer styles even if it is usually considered as a girls style if it suits the guys features?

Again, I agree wholeheartedly with you. I posted a message on the same lines on Dec 9, 2000 under General Hair Talk. The guy is an effeminate narcissist and while he has every right to be so, why bore the rest of us every month? Give us a break, Jamie.

Of course there is a double standard - but it`s not a law - do what you want - but don`t bitch about people noticing if it`s unusual. That applies to a lot of things...wags