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Hi,
My name is Luke, I live in the D/FW region in Texas, USA. I am working at UPS and have dreams to become a delivery driver in the future. However, as far as I know, in the USA, deliver drivers cannot have their hair touching their collar. I am going to college right now and I am majoring in information technology and I want to make Web Pages on the other hand as well.
I am also taking Spanish at my school and I also know alot of German too. But the point of the matter is that I would be much happier to move to another country that would accept me or at least treat me alot better than here in the United States.
However, my dad says that the "no hair above the collar" idea means that it is unacceptable in the given environment. I do agree with him on some level though. But however, I do not care what some moron says about my hair if he does not like it just because he does not like it. But my job will be fine with me if my hair is long.
Please help me out and let me know if there is another country or region where I can be treated alot better than here.
I have heard of places like England where they are much more accepting to long haired men and provide much more protection to them in the working environment and such. I have thought of maybe looking at other places like Spain and Italy, but I am not so sure about these places either. I want to know more about these places before I make a decision. Please help me and let me know if you have an answer.
Thank you.
Hmmmmmmmmmm, I seem to recall seeing these UPS commercials where this sort of longhaired employee is writing on a ink board to make some point to another guy in this ad.He had collar length black hair that was quite thick!
As for moving to another country to find longhaired paradise,well you know the old saying about the grass is always greener in someones else's back yard.I'd give a lot of thought before making such a move.Good luck my friend!
Mark
Thanks for helping me man, but are these guys that deliver to the hospital UPS guys or are they something else?
Hey, Luke. It's great to have another Texas longhair with us. Your dad says that the "no hair above the collar" idea means that it is unacceptable in the given environment. What that means is that the narrow-minded biggots control business.
I, too, have often wondered what it would be like in another country. However, I guess there is too much red, white, and blue running through my veins to ever leave.
You are young and are gaining valuable experience with UPS. There are other jobs that are "long hair" friendly. Perhaps the postal service might be more your style.
Good luck on your dreams. Glad to have you on the MLHH. Keep it growin' and flowin'.
TLH
Thanks for helping me out man, but also there is something else I must add. Although my dad is a good guy and I love him, he loves me too, but we are Reformed Seventh Day Adventists who study the bible. We are supposed to be humble servants of God and to not be rebellious. He says to me, that in an environment where we are not wanted, we simply leave.
However, what I believe is that there are people who will not like us because of our hair, but for me, I will simply stay away from those folks. And virtually the only place that it would really cause trouble in my case is in the workplace. Not having trouble at the workplace that I am, but in other workplaces where they deem it "unacceptable"
I try to avoid companies like this and right now I have done well so far. My dad really does not have a problem with long haired men or me(well of course not), but he is very, should i say it, overprotective of me. But he is a very humble person and thats fine. My dad even knows that workplace "dress codes" that implement against long hair on men are not decended from the Bible, period. My dad has read the Bible over and over and he knows that it is never written anywhere saying "Above the collar" or "covering the ears" and also the dress codes for women do not restrict their hair, which is the big tipoff.
What my dad has told me about gospel order: 1 Cor 11 does not conclude that "Men's hair is meant to be short" or "Women's hair is meant to be long" he knows for a fact which he had told me that if God did not want men to have long hair then our hair wouldn't get any longer than half an inch. The church in Corinth at that time had their custom and Paul was merely saying that the followers of the church should follow the custom if they were going to stay there. If there are other places where it is acceptable, then it should be fine. His summary though was, "If you are really going to stay in one of those environments, you either conform to it, no matter how stupid it is or go someplace else."
My dad is a good man, and I love him, he does not have any problem with long haired men, he played in a band because it was acceptable to that environment.
But he knows that today the narrow minded biggots are in charge, and although my dad does not agree with them, he says that they are in charge, they got their place, and it would be rebellious to go in there and go against their "standards"
If only the United States changes that and permanently rids of the misused authority by the narrow minded biggots, then could I go freely around this country without worry.
But surely, what I want and my dad also wants for me is to be in an environment where I am accepted and judged for my character and who I am. Whether I have my hair short or long.
That is all.
Hi Vega,
You're facing what is a very common dilemma amongst most longhairs. However, I would say that, before you make any major decisions about moving to another country, you may want to travel there (not sure if you have been to the countries you listed) and see if you'd enjoy living there. Also, as you had mentioned, you do have alternatives for a potential career, so it may be best to just see how things pan out.
Otherwise, it looks like your hair is coming along nicely. Best of luck (and if it's any consolation, I do prefer UPS over FedEx any day)! =)
-James
Though there are obvious exceptions such as dear old McDonald's, England is pretty tolerant of long hair - certainly in the sport of job you mention.
Many professions are quite happy as well and those you might choose using the skills you set out should be fine also.
Puerto Rico seems pretty friendly towards long haired men. It is fairly common to see men with pony tails tied back almost anywhere you go. Obviously, we're still the minority here, but there is more of a live and let live attitude.
David L.
The word on the street is that Texas is not long hair friendly except for Austin. Never been to Texas, so not an expert. I hear Florida is also not good either. Moving to another state is probably sufficient without moving to an entirely different country.
That said, I am from England originally, and it always used to be hair friendly. Last time I was back I was shocked by all the shaved heads there, but none of them gave me any grief.
It also matters what delivery service you work for. Anyone who says that all of them require short hair is talking BS. In fact, I think you work for the one that is most known for hair problems, and in one of the worst states for it as well!
Certainly you can always work for the US Postal Service (or in fact in almost any federal government job) with long hair, but AFAIK the pay is lower in the USPS than you would get in the private sector.