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How the world views us as longhairs can be an enlightening lesson in how one group of people tend to stereotype another group of people that are different from themselves...
For example, because of my hair length, I have been accused of being the following:
1) a biker; 2) a drug dealer; 3) an older surfer from Hawaii; 4) a musician in a Rock band; 5) a college professor.
The TRUTH of the matter re. the above "accusations", however, is as follows:
1) I've only tried to ride a motorcycle twice in my life, --- and BOTH times I have fallen off! A waitress at a Chinese restaurant even asked me once, "Do you ride motorcycle?" I had taken my mother out to dinner that night, and even aswered the waitress right in front of mom, "No, I don't own a bike, --- it's just that my hair is long, and I'm wearing a black leather jacket tonight!"
2) I'm so clueless about the drug world, that it wasn't until I was into my mid-30s that I even tried my first asprin (I was raised a Christian Scientist) - LOL!!
3) while visiting my niece in Maui, several times other tourists asked me where the best surfing beach was.... "I don't know, --- I'm a tourist here, too!", I kept answering those that questioned. "Oh!", would be their response, followed by something like, "With all that blonde hair of yours, I just assumed you were raides here and surfed!"
4) I don't play a single musical instrument, unfortunately; but, I definitely take it as a compliment when someone thinks I play one. What they DON'T think I'm able to do, though is: dance, --- which is exactly what I love to do most!!! Being a middle-aged, over-weight White guy, I don't look at all like someone who has a lick of rhythm whatsoever. But, trust me, if I'm ever standing in-line at some Taqueria with one of my favorite dance partners next to me, if a good Salsa or Merngue song comes over the air waves, this ol' Gringo would NOT be able to just stand idly by!
5) Being mistaken for a college professor I also take as a great compliment. Unfortunately, I never even finished college, though, --- but, hey, I'm sure glad I can fool so many folks!
Anybody else here experienced being stereotyped because of your long hair?
Thanks again in advance to all those who decide to reply!
- Ken in San Francisco
The only thing people sometimes ask me if I play guitar, I do fit in the stereotype with band shirts and long hair but unfortunately I can't play guitar.
Other than that I've never heard anything like that, but I haven't been growing my hair for a long time so maybe that will come in the future.
"...Anybody else here experienced being stereotyped because of your long hair?..."
I was once "accused" of being a gardener from San Francisco !! HA!
.....an distinguished Honor, of course !!
You missed one...
6) A computer geek
Which I am!
This is a cool little post. There are some pretty dodgy parts of town between where I live and the actual center of the town. I get asked every 1 in 10 times by people "mate, you got any dope you wanna sell?" when I walk through these parts. It's obviously because of the way I look. I have never touched a spliff in my life nevermind a cigarette. Strange isn't it.
However, I guess you could stereotype me as a rocker guy. I have been playing guitar for a long time now, I listen to all the music. I can certainly say I don't have the rock "badass" attitude though, I'm proper soft!
It is funny how people fill in the blanks of their knowledge with stereotypes.
I tend to get the drug thing a lot as well. Back when I first grew my hair out in high school I'd get comments about that all the time. The one that stands out most is when one kid asked my what kind of drugs I did, and I replied "none". Then he went on to say something like "bullcrap...if you have long hair; you DO drugs!" the sad thing is he was actually serious!
Also, a few weeks ago one of my neighbors from the house I lived in when I was in school started working where I work. After talking with him for a little while he said something like "When I lived next door I thought you were the biggest pothead! I wanted knock on your window sometimes and say 'got any pot?'" This one cracked me up as well, considering I've never even once tried any drug in my life.
I also get the musician thing as well, but I dont play anything. Mostly from other people my age (I'm 21) that say things like "Yo man, do ya jam?" I tend to wear a lot of band t-shirts so thats probably why I get this one so much.
In my case, the only ones of yours I've been pinged with are 1) biker and a variant 4A) a heavy-metal fan. To your list I'll add 5) liberal and 6) hippie.
To further follow your example, my responses to the "charges" [grin] -
1) I've been on motorcycles a few times, but don't own one nor intend to acquire one. I do own a couple of black leather jackets, because I like leather jackets, and black is a common color for them.
4a) The closest I get to heavy metal is some of the "harder" 70s-80s classic rock. My musical tastes tend more to jazz, classical, classic rock, 70s pop and some country.
5) My views are mostly conservative, with a touch of libertarian.
6) While I have worn (and even made) tie-dyed clothes on occasion, I've never even experimented with recreational chemistry. I don't even drink alcohol that often.
The funny thing is, you talked about "how one group of people tend to stereotype another group of people that are different from themselves..." I've picked up some of these from other members here on the board, so it's not just with those who look different. It's just something humans do [shrug].
Jim
One time a woman I met in a pub asked me "Are you gay or a headbanger", LOL! No offence Ken, but I very quickly told her I was a headbanger, even though it's debatable whether that describes me all that well. I don't know why some people think that long hair is an indication of sexual orientation? Of course, perhaps the fact that I was talking to her boyfriend and not her might have had something to do with it.
As to whether I have been accused of belonging to each of your 5 stereotypes, see my answers below -
Yes, but I was one
2) a drug dealer;
No, but people have tried to sell me drugs
3) an older surfer from Hawaii;
No, I'm a Brit, so no-one in their right mind would accuse me of being from Hawaii
4) a musician in a Rock band;
Yes to this as well, but I did sing in a rock band
5) a college professor
Sadly no, I obviously don't look as distinguished as you, Ken, although I did finish college (eventually)
Hey Ken, interestingly with me several people have thought I was less intelligent because of my outward appearance and when they realize that I can construct a half-way cogent sentence they get that "hmmm...maybe he's not as dumb as I think he is" kind of look.
Hope you are having a good week.
Cheers,
Max
Hi there Ken, good to hear from you.
The main thing I get from people is they ask when I am going to get my hair cut, as if I've forgotten to go to the barbers for three years! LOL! I love my hair like this, this is me ok? get it?
Also I get the hippie thing and have also had a person look me up and down in a queue and deliberatley stand in front of me with a "you are second class and probably sponge off the state" look, of which I am neither and never have been.
Cheers Dave
I've been asked if I was a surfer, back when I was growing my hair out and it wasn't as long as it is now. Now I just get stereotyped as a metalhead, which suits me fine. I fit every part of that stereotype so it's completely accurate. I do try to be ridiculously polite and use unnecessarily large words to break the metalhead stereotype that we are rude and stupid cavemen. Just today at the polls a woman asked me if I played in a band as she was handing me my voter card. It's funny thinking about this, because I do the same thing to other people with long hair. I assume they either like heavy metal, are a hippie, or are a surfer. Haha. It seems to run true for the most part though. Look how many metalheads are on this board.
Wow, this is very interesting. my hair is still relatively short (~3 inches) and i havent gotten any of these stereotypes yet, but i am a metalhead and i play sax and i just started learning guitar, so it should be interesting to see how many people get it right! (no drinks, bikes, or teaching for me yet, and never drugs, im still underage lol)
Hi Ken. To tell the truth:
1. I have never been called a biker (I don't ride bikes or even drive a car).
2. I have never been called a drug dealer (and I don't drink either).
3. I had not been called a surfer (I don't live in Hawaii, and I was a short hair when I last visited in Hawaii).
4. I had not played any instrument (other than a piano and some elementary school instruments a few times) so I had not been called a musician.
5. Yes, I took classes in college, but I have never been called a college professor.
OTOH, I have been called a "hippie" a few times by my step-brother (he was not being rude to me).
When I told my friend's mom that I am growing my hair, she said that men who grow out their hair usually become "hippies" or "druggies" but did not actually called me that.
The only really rude statement I ever gotten was that my hair was "wild and crazy" and it came from my very own father (you already know the story about the trim). In fact, if he says another thing against my hair to me, he will not get a gift from me this Christmas (I am writing his name on Santa's naughty list).
Matthew aka Regardless
I haven't cut my hair in 4 years and right now my hair is down to almost my waist. I'm 6'3" and in good shape so nobody really messes with me but I do get the occasional idiot that has to open his mouth. I've even had bikers call me a hippie! Go figure since harley riders tend to have long hair and "fight the man" but since most are either lawyers or white trash I guess I can let it go.
I do have a bachelors degree and I work in an engineering office and nobody at work dares say anything because I either have more education than them or because I have extreme confidence and could not care what they think. I also play guitar in a death metal band so the whole metal thing does apply. My wife likes it so damn the rest. :D
Ken wrote:
Nope.
2) a drug dealer;
Nope.
3) an older surfer from Hawaii;
Nope. But you're blond, which probably helps that.
4) a musician in a Rock band;
Yep, lots. Fortunately, that's (occasionally) true.
5) a college professor.
!!
Just once for me, as a passenger. I didn't fall off, but then I'd better not have--he was going at full speed, AFAI could tell.
I've been mistaken for a girl more than once (from behind), but each time the people who did so were quite apologetic once they found out otherwise.
Sometimes I've been approached in record stores by customers who thought I was an employee because I have long hair--which tells me plenty of us aren't as fearful of it as we're told we are.
We've been bending over for decades for the sake of the 10% or so who have a real problem with *anything you might name*, not just stuff like dudes with long hair--and it needs to stop *yesterday*.
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