Locks Of Love - Good or Bad?
Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: Hair Talk
Forum Name: Hair Politics
Forum Description: The politics of Hair is a slippery slope...
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=8586
Printed Date: April 16 2025 at 8:41pm
Topic: Locks Of Love - Good or Bad?
Posted By: Carol
Subject: Locks Of Love - Good or Bad?
Date Posted: January 11 2000 at 10:00pm
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Well I guess someone needs to start a thread and I am willing.Here goes: while I think the Locks of Love is a worthy cause, I also worry that people with long hair will be coerced into cutting it to "do the right thing". One of the recent Miss Beauty Somethings, was it Virginia? was recently in the press for cutting tons of her hair off "for a good cause".What are the politics of this issue and is this a good thing or a thing where you get confused in the issues?Thanks for bringing the board back. I for one am glad it is back.Carol
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Replies:
Posted By: Ally
Date Posted: January 11 2000 at 10:00pm
I have yet to hear of a situation where someone cut his/her hair off because they felt socially obligated to do so. This is like saying that the Salvation Army coerces people into giving up their wardrobes. The truth is, people donate only what they're willing to part with, generally items that no longer suit their tastes, needs, or body type. The same goes for hair.But let's assume a worst-case scenario: Let's say Locks of Love is pressuring women to give up their long hair for the sake of those who can't grow any. Hair grows back. Donating a ponytail can help to heal someone's emotional scars and help them to feel "normal" and pretty again. This, in turn, can help motivate them to fight their illness and survive.But I don't see how the organization could be "pressuring" individuals to cut their hair. They don't have a mailing list of long-haired Americans. They don't have agents stationed at every salon. The most extreme situation I could imagine might be a charitable promotion going on at a salon, where the stylists would ask long-haired patrons, "Would you like to donate your hair to Locks of Love?" The customer would then have only to say no.Someone who /couldn't/ say no to that would have to have assertiveness issues, period.In fact, if I wanted to donate my hair, I wouldn't even know where to go. I'm willing to bet this Miss Virginia (or whatever) did it 1) for publicity, 2) because it IS a worthy cause, and 3) because she wanted to cut her hair anyway.Ally
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Posted By: JerkyFlea
Date Posted: January 11 2000 at 10:00pm
> In fact, if I wanted to donate my hair, I wouldn't> even know where to go. I'm willing to bet this Miss> Virginia (or whatever) did it 1) for publicity, 2)> because it IS a worthy cause, and 3) because she> wanted to cut her hair anyway.It was Miss Virginia USA, Kellie Lightbourn. As for they hows and whys for doing it, stay tuned... =)Related Link:JerkyFlea's Celebrity Hair Spray
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3 pm is simultaneously too late and too early to start anything.
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Posted By: JerkyFlea
Date Posted: January 11 2000 at 10:00pm
Hi Carol,Actually, I was considering staring this thread myself, so I'm glad you did. I had heard rumblings that some of the more long hair oriented people look upon this charity as a "scam". I'd really like to hear why for my own edification.Personally, I see it as any other charity. If you don't want to donate your old clothes to the Salvation Army or give money to the March of Dimes, then you don't. I don't see how they would have any more societal influence than any other charity. In other words, if you are keeping those jeans you never wear anymore and spending your dimes on bubblegum, odds are that you won't cut off your hair for Locks of Love.Just my opinion,JerkyFleaRelated Link:JerkyFlea's Celebrity Hair Spray
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3 pm is simultaneously too late and too early to start anything.
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Posted By: Bryan
Date Posted: January 11 2000 at 10:00pm
JerkyFlea,You have to look at these kinds of "charities" carefully. Locks of Love is a non-profit organization, this is true. They do not give away the wigs, they sell them at "cost". The hair may be donated, but the wigs have to be made. They are made by a "for profit" company that just happens to be owned by the person who runs Locks of Love. Now it starts to look a lot less charitable. This is probably why some people consider it a scam.Bryan> Hi Carol,> Actually, I was considering staring this thread> myself, so I'm glad you did. I had heard rumblings> that some of the more long hair oriented people look> upon this charity as a "scam". I'd really> like to hear why for my own edification.> Personally, I see it as any other charity. If you> don't want to donate your old clothes to the Salvation> Army or give money to the March of Dimes, then you> don't. I don't see how they would have any more> societal influence than any other charity. In other> words, if you are keeping those jeans you never wear> anymore and spending your dimes on bubblegum, odds are> that you won't cut off your hair for Locks of Love.> Just my opinion,> JerkyFlea
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learn to love what you were born with
you can do anything if you set your mindto it (just dont try this with hair,that could turn out bad)
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Posted By: Dave
Date Posted: January 11 2000 at 10:00pm
> In other> words, if you are keeping those jeans you never wear> anymore and spending your dimes on bubblegum, odds are> that you won't cut off your hair for Locks of Love.Hi JerkyFlea,Your statement seems to presume that people who have long hair choose to not cut it based on a choice to retain things which aren't seen by others as being immediately useful. Being resourceful/frugal/thrifty and simultaneously being charitable are not necessarily mutually exclusive attributes.I also sense a subtle condemnation (a guilt trip) on your part toward that subset of long-haired people who choose not to cut off their hair for charity. Should like-minded but perpetually short-haired people be made to feel badly for not growing their hair long so that they, too, could potentially donate hair to charity? No. And likewise, neither should those long-haired people be made to feel badly for wishing to keep it long in the face of choices to the contrary.Dave
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David M Squires
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