Lovelyish

Is a shaved head on a woman still taboo? Probably, but it’s not really important either way.

Are women who shave their heads degrading their identity? No way! Anyone who says that hair is more important than the person needs to get a reality check.

Are bald women sexy? Natalie Portman rocked it.

What is it about a bald woman that generates so much controversy? Probably because long hair for many years represented being of virginity, thus bald may mean the opposite.

Why when we see a bald woman do we assume she’s a lesbian, a radical feminist, a political extremist, or a skinhead?  –  What about a cancer patient? That’s probably what I would guess.

Why is a bald female head taboo? It shouldn’t be.

I’ve got a chelsea (bangs in the front, but shaved everywhere else). I’ve gotten mixed reviews. My husband loves it. I’ve been hit on by guys a few times…I’ve also been called “sir”.  Some people are like, “Oh my God EW I would never do that” and others tell me it rocks.

I’m not sure why it’s taboo. I LOVE my new hair. It’s so easy!! And I personally think it looks great. But women are weirdly attached to their hair, so I think at least for women it stems from that – many women believe they are no longer feminine without their long, beautiful hair.

these ladies are fierce

i don’t think it’s really taboo within the female circle anymore, but i have guy friends who like girls with longer hair better. like i was obsessing over Allison Harvard from ANTM 13 to a close straight guy friend, and he found her too overwhelmingly odd so i showed him my second favorite; Fo (‘sho).
he liked her long-haired picture better, but i think her short hair was much cuter.
same with my male bi friend. he likes girls with long hair better. and i bet if i asked around, i would get the same response.

see, i, female, think going bald is sexy if you have the right features, and really don’t associate it with anything except character boldness. but guys are different.

lol I think the only reason I don’t find it repulsive is because of how Natalie Portman pulled it off so well…but like everyone says, she can rock anything.

I love my long hair. I hate it even if its shoulder length…mybe it’s just me.

Yes, it is still very much taboo and a double standard – men are, according to society, ALLOWED to have long hair… However, if a woman were to have short hair, or GOD FORBID, a shaved head, she might as well not even be a real person.

I’m a woman and two different times in my life, I have shaved off my hair completely. For liberation mainly. It’s such a liberating thing to go completely against society’s wants (does anyone else find this?) I believe in women’s rights and gay rights but I’m not a feminist or a lesbian.
And for the most part, I felt great and better than when I had long hair. But the way some people would treat me is just un-believable. And the negative comments were mainly by men, which I find somewhat ironic.

i actually don’t mind the buzz cut on some women (i.e. natalie portman) but i think the total skinhead look isn’t for anyone, not even guys.

omg is that cameron diaz? why does her head look abnormally large?

Where’s Britney Spears in those pictures?? Oh and Cameron Diaz is wearing one of those bald caps, I think. She did it to play a part in a VERY crappy movie which is nothing like the awesome book it is based on…

But anyway, I think hair is more than just a status symbol or whatever. It helps frame the face. Without hair I guess it kind of throws off the whole upper body for me. Plus some people have very weird-shaped heads. You see all kinds of odd bumps sometimes when you don’t have any hair (my dad discovered this when he lost his from chemotherapy).

As much as my hair drives me crazy, I think I’d look horrible without it.

i think you should take off cameron diaz’s pic cuz she’s not really bald.

yes, no, sometimes, it looks like they are trying too hard to be different, since most women aren’t bald, then if a bald woman is walking around, she is the center of attention even if she is trying to be modest in appearance yet she isn’t because the bald head gets a lot of attention due to it not being a norm. I don’t assume she’s a lesbian, a radical feminist, a political extremist, or a skinhead…my first impression of a bald woman is that she loves drawing attention to herself, which people do in other ways, such as skimpy outfits, while others dress conservatively but have a bald head. it is taboo because the media has set an ideal image of beauty of what women should typically look like and it also shapes the way men think about what is considered beautiful, which is usually a woman with a feminine looking haircut/style.

@sarahzthoughts@xanga - I used to think the same thing, that I would look awful with all my hair gone, that I didn’t have the right facial structure for it or whatever. Then one day I finally got so sick of it plus it was so damaged from dying it different colors or whatever that I just went to the salon and had it all chopped off. The lady wouldn’t do it at first, she started asking me my reasons for it like was I have some sort of depressive or manic episode, or going through a break up, or on some kind of mind altering substance (which just goes to show the taboo behind it). Point is, I ended up with about a half inch of hair on my head plus some bangs and I thought I looked great, all the girls I’ve come across have thought I look great too and from guys I’ve gotten mixed reviews, but the way I see it, there’s no easier way than weeding out all the guys that I wouldn’t have wanted to date in the first place. You can’t see past the short hair? Well then you’re clearly not my type.

I feel it is still taboo because no one in society wants to see it, plain and simple. Society does have exceptions though: cancer. We might assume she is a lesbian because not every girl, or even most has a shaved head and a bald head is usually is what is seen on a man. butch=more manly

I’m just stating my views about the American society.

where’s erykah badu?

I’ve wanted to shave my head bald for the longest time, just to see what it’s like, but I kept putting it off and putting it off and now I think it’ll never happen… Here are my reasons why: 1) fear of prejudice in job searches and interviews, 2) every guy I asked didn’t like the idea, ESPECIALLY not any boyfriends I asked, 3) I get cold very very very easily, 4) I like growing out my hair because I donate it every two years once it’s long enough.

cameron diaz’s is a bald cap, that’s why her head looks massive.

I think society does still dictate that, but it has become more acceptable to have different hair types, or short hair, or no hair. It just depends on where you live.

lmao @ cameron diaz’s large head. I’m pretty sure it’s just her hair tucked up under there but damn that was a good laugh. She looks like Mac from Mac and Me

it’s just not a norm, but not a bad thing these days. it’s just different.

some ladies can pull it off, some can’t; like any other hairstyle.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a shaved head on a woman.  I think that as long as you feel confident and hold your head high, a woman can rock any hairstyle.

However, it’s a scientific fact that men are more attracted, physically, to women with long, healthy hair because it shows that they’re healthy and have good genes and will be a good match in the reproduction arena.  So… keep that in mind, haha.

I’ve gone bald before. I like my hawk better.

nope~

Only black women can pull off the shaven head (yet still girly and sexy) look. Everyone else looks a little butch when they do it.

I’m a sucker for short hair. I find it spicy, cute, sexy, and just all around better than long hair. I apologize in advance for all of you ladies who grow your hair out. I just love short hair though. So to me, going bald/shaved is really brave, exotic, and cool. I respect women so much who are willing to walk around with no hair to hide behind. You can see how beautiful they really are. They’re making a statement: My hair doesn’t determine my beauty; I do!

I wouldn’t want to shave my head but it doesn’t bother me if other people do it.  I had a crush on a female teacher in high school who was bald.

Is a shaved head on a woman still taboo?  Yes, but not as much as it used to be.

Are women who shave their heads degrading their identity?  Nope, in fact, you might say that for some women doing this is a way to show their identity.

Are bald women sexy?  I’m sure some men and women feel that way. And there’s nothing wrong with that if they do.

What is it about a bald woman that generates so much controversy?  In countries where this is a controversy, its because the majority of women do not have shaved heads unless they are ill or have an issue with balding (and those are not the same as purposely shaving your head, and many of them cover their baldness). To see a woman with a shaved head is not yet something that occurs so often while walking down any given street of any given town (small or large) for it to be considered nothing out of the ordinary to see. When something we don’t see every day happens, we stop and gawk and talk about it. A lot of people just simply don’t like it when people so glaringly go against the grain. A lot of the time this comes simply from the fact that some people just can’t understand why a woman would WANT to do that.

Why when we see a bald woman do we assume she’s a lesbian, a radical feminist, a political extremist, or a skinhead?  Because, it is the stereotype for it. Lesbians are more “manly” by stereotype. Men often sport shaved heads. That’s the connection. Radical feminists are considered to be women who have penis envy. They want to be men. So, they shave their heads to look more man-like. A political extremist probably comes from the idea that the woman is shaving her head for attention and to make a point, much like the skinhead option.

Are these stereotypes right? Well, that would depend on the individual but in general no. You shouldn’t generalize. :p

Why is a bald female head taboo?  I’m pretty sure I just answered that by answering all the above? It doesn’t occur often enough, yet, to be considered something that isn’t out of the ordinary to see randomly on the street even the most conservative of small towns. What people can’t understand, they usually don’t like.

hrm, not taboo, but def a fashion statement that isn’t seen often.  i know a few and they are gorgeous. 

I dont think it’s taboo but it’s definitely still a shock when you first see it. 

I did it a few years ago. I didn’t think I looked awesome, but it was a very empowering experience. 

Is the first one Amber Rose?
I think she’s the only sexy bald woman besides Demi Moore.

Diaz is just ew.

Bald females are not taboo. My mum is 44 years old this year and she’s bald. My mum is a saloon owner and also a hair stylist herself. One of her partners enter a competition and made my mum a model for the hair tattoo competition. Well, I have to say that my mum looks younger and sexier. No one every believed she’s my mum. That’s all I gotta say.

If a woman is sexy, she’s sexy with or without hair. Personally, I don’t think women with shaved head are controversial–it looks fantastic on some people.And I certainly don’t make any assumptions based solely on a hairstyle. But then again, I live in a city where diversity rules–and this style isn’t uncommon. 

i shaved my head and love it.

Who cares? If someone can shave their head and feel beautiful then let them. Fuck what everyone else thinks.

As bad as this sounds, when I see a bald woman (who’s not a celebrity) I immediately think they have cancer and are undergoing chemotherapy. I don’t know why I think that way. However some woman can pull off being bald and look extremely sexy!

i personally hate long hair and only have my hair long when i’m growing it out for a particular purpose
i’ve shaved off my hair multiple times and it was GREAT (except for the harassment by ignorant assholes)

i think that a bald women is definitely still considered taboo, because i wouldn’t have gotten nasty catcalls and rocks thrown at me otherwise. Oh, and this happened in the NYC metro area too, not in the middle of nowhere, so i don’t think it’s just a few odd ultra-traditional hermits either.

not a fan, but they are unique (:

It would be nice if bald were more widely accepted for women.  Thinning hair is a problem that many women have to deal with, but if they could shave their heads no one would know or care.

Ok one of the reasons I do not like shaved heads is because it reminds me of something I heard about how in the past, they used to shave women’s heads to publiclyhumiliate them and to send a message out to other people or something like that. It always makes me think of that and I hate it. It reminds me of a Scarlet Letter

i actually think that’s pretty fucking ballsy. i like it, i was thinking about going really short, not bald necessarily, just something not so girly and typical.

Where’s Amber Rose?  lol

I sort of have a thing for bald women

I’ve shavede my head before, and was VERY happy with it. I felt a sense of power, maybe because I was ignoring that taboo. Either way, I feel women should do as they please, without any judgement. It’s silly.

well those are actresses ho did it for a part, but i knwo plenty a women who cut it all off because they dont want to deal with their hair and they seem pretty content with

Some people shave their heads for practical reasons.  For instance, less hair takes less shampoo/maintenance.  Plus, you don’t have to worry about certain hair-loving bugs, like lice.  My friend shaved her head before going to a tropical region for some sort of outdoors-y, ecological research.  Smart move on her behalf

1.) Is a shaved head on a woman still taboo?- In some places/families, yes. 
2.) Are women who shave their heads degrading their identity? - Only if their identity (feminine or whatnot) strongly relies on long hair.  Although it should be noted that back in the day, long hair was a status symbol for MEN of several cultures.
3.) Are bald women sexy? – No opinion.  It depends on how she carries herself.  And if she brushes her teeth.  
4.)What is it about a bald woman that generates so much controversy?-  I think it’s only a controversy if you choose to be uncomfortable around baldness.  If people build their definition of “beauty” solely around local, social physical expectations, then yes, baldness is different from the norm and might make people uncomfortable. 
5.) Why when we see a bald woman do we assume she’s a lesbian, a radical feminist, a political extremist, or a skinhead? – People often notice the extreme cases.  Although I don’t really see how being a lesbian or any of those other titles negatively affects a person’s beauty…

uh what about bald resulting from chemotherapy treatment? A woman should never feel degraded about being bald, whether it’s medical, or a choice.

@IsisMari@xanga - ”…the way I see it, there’s no easier way than weeding out all the guys that I wouldn’t have wanted to date in the first place. You can’t see past the short hair? Well then you’re clearly not my type.” Genius!

In some Buddhist countries, there are women who are willing to shave after the death of a relative/ spouse. Others around the community can compromise and can understand the situation without having to question when a bald woman is spotted…especially with a young, bald woman. 

Plus, I might presumed chemo if her eyebrows are missing too. If she dresses very subcultural with Doc Martens, then yeah I might assume she’s a skinhead, I had a classmate who was into it. Thought it was very her, couldn’t imagine her with hair…secretly I think she’s sexy. That’s just one person.  

Overall, I don’t get all that shocked when I see   bald women in general. 

my brother thinks women look horrible with short hair or bald.  i, on the other hand, disagree. 

personally, i think only women with soft beautiful faces, like sinead o’conner and natalie portman, can pull it off.  usually when i see a woman who is bald they assume that they have had cancer, not that they are feminists.  of course, sinead is a feminist, but she looked great bald.  when i see a man who is bald, i assume that he was going bald anyways and just went and shaved his head.  people would stare more at a woman who is bald, but that is just because it is against the norm.  i think most men and women like having a healthy head of hair, because it generally adds to a person’s attractiveness by softening their face.  

in the Bible there are a few cases in which women were supposed to shave their heads.  one was after the completion of a nazerite vow, and the other was when a woman was taken into a hebrew family after a war.  the Bible also says that a women’s hair is her glory, something a lot of people take to mean that a women should never cut her hair.  but the Bible doesn’t specifically say that.

because its fuckin ugly!1

yea how is a bald woman taboo?! i’ve never heard of this.

what if she has some type of disease that makes her hair fall out or if she’s going through chemo or if she got in a fire accident and had to have her head shaved?!

as a matter of fact, my aunt was in a fire accident which ruined her hair so she just had it all shaved off, and i, being 5 at the time, totally looked up to her so I shaved my head too. there’s nothing wrong with not having hair.

i think it actually makes them look more feminine if anything

it shows their neck more and their head shape showing smaller and more delecate features then a man

i unno, but to me i think it’s the opposite of taboo

i dont think bald heads suit women OR men

it’s just not a style i like – people looks better with hair to frame their faces.

cameron diaz didnt really shave her head….its a bald cap

I think it looks okay on women but they need to have strong features for it to look really good. For instance, it looks good on Demi Moore and Natalie Portman who have very bold features that stand out, but Cameron Diaz is not sexy with the bald look because she has very soft features.

@LillyVRose@xanga - LOL!

I don’t know.. but from personal experience, bald women tend to be quite confident and comfortable with themselves -> sexy!

Just not an attractive look. I love hair. 

I had a student who, after graduation from the Junior College in which I taught, shaved her head to keep the boys from asking her out (she wantedo t concentrate on her studies with no distractions, and apparently, she had so many guys wanting to take her on a date, she got tired of telling them ‘no!’).  She was still VERY beautiful (but in my opinion, she looked much better with her long, black hair)…. 

Hair isn’t everything…

girls with shaven heads are sexy! my friend recently shaved her hair and is freaking hot!

i always joke to my girlfriend to shave her head, she will never because she likes her hair and she likes to have longer hair than me…she looks great with hair, and i don’t care what she does with her own hair but if she ever did, i dunno how I’d control myself… *rawr* haha

@MiSS__NARA@xanga - i think she tucked her hair under a bald cap…..maybe?

I think it still is, but it shouldn’t be. The world is sexist. That’s why its taboo.

I don’t think it’s TABOO persay, just not very attractive. In general, I don’t think men with very long hair are that attractive either. It makes women (which, it seems nowadays they truly ARE) look like they are trying to be men. However, as far as identity goes, if her personality screams “I’m a bald ball of fire and I don’t give a shit what you think about it” (and I wish I knew some more people like this lol) then absolutely not. If she’s a quiet country girl who dreams about her prince then yeah, she probably is because her appearance is failing to reflect her personality.

i think it looks good on the right people
i think the reason women are “supposed” to have long hair is because its too “manly” for a woman too look that way..

As far as “taboo” I think WHERE you are influences that a lot. I shaved my head when I lived on the east coast and people came out and asked what kind of cancer i had (ummm, rude and weird, even if I DID have cancer) or why I was trying to be so counter-cultural. Then I moved out to California and no one seemed to care, and def never mentioned it. So it just depends on regional ideas of “normal” and “beauty”. Personally, I think it was really empowering for me. But growing it out was hell.

nope
but it looks weird.. if im bald
and i think women wif long hair are always looks better