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Hello all, Im 21yrs old, I posted here a long time ago, but sadly I failed at my task, yet I regretted it plently the very same day and promised to accomplish it this time, that was around January '09 and here am I, going strong with abour 4+ healthy inches of hair, while not a lot, is already getting me in hot water.. I post to tell you guys about my story: I work as a driver/send the kid for a Firearms MFG Company in Florida. yes u guessed, im the kid in the "send the kid" position...:P
Well, this woman, who is a big boss in our company used to be real nice and friendly towards me, even giving me tips for when I moved up towards a better position under her department and calling me over the phone when they had a office party with cake and sodas... :P Well, as my hair grew, she started complaining, so I wear a hat and tie my little hair into a ridiculously small ponytail to keep it neat and clean, but she wouldnt stop .. ordering.. for me to cut my hair, one day, last week, in front of the company's president, she gave me what I can only define as a scandal, even promising she had been my direct supervisor, I would have been fired already, and promising also I would never work in her department. Well I coulnt care less, but this was in front of the "big guy" a former Army ranger and west point grad [not fan of longhairs]...which makes it all uncomfortable.. go figure. well, Im very happy cause I was told by a friend, she got a big reprimand from this military guy, the president who brandishes a buzzcut.. he said..apparently.. longhairs are my option and while he does not like them, he respects me in wearing them and no one can harass me for it.
you can gess my smile, now when i walk by her, i take my hat off and shake my head a bit to add some volume :P .. and smile wide at her, if she had 50cal machine guns in her eyes.. Id be creamed by now. my long story i think is worth sharing because this woman is a lesbian, who lives with her girl partner and while I mean no offense to them or to anyone else, you would think they had a broader sense and wider tolerance towards what id call free styles, while the Wespoint dude, R. Lee Ermey as we call him, showed comon sense and exquisite tolerance towards my situation, even asking some days later how long i would like to go, which i told him with a wide smile shoulder lenght... he smiled and sent me on my way...which surprised me to the good..
A lot of the lesbians here in San Francisco buzz their hair off. Maybe she wants you to look like a lesbian?
Bill
even asking some days later how long i would like to go, which i told him with a wide smile shoulder lenght... he smiled and sent me on my way...which surprised me to the good..
I was thinking maybe the President of the company might be taking a liking to young Mr. Panzer.
Don't ask don't tell.........
Kevin
Don't forget the "comfortable" shoes!
... I dont know if I sense a tense tone in that, but if I offended anyone, perhaps I didnt express myself with all clarity due. I brought up this woman was homosexual, cause I was and still am of the opinion, people who have felt intolerance on their skin, would have a wider view.. not to offend anyone. this is a lady who has, by her own accord, accepted she is part of a small group of women who suffer for expressing freely what they feel, good for her, but its only fair she extends me the same olive branch... my whole story orbited around the idea someone you would expect to be more open and relaxed about my hair, ended up being tighter than the buzzcutguy....
also.. I would make a terrible lesbian.. lol..
and no kevin.. the guy is not in love with me..lol..take my word for it
Hi kubanpanzer,
I doubt that you offended anyone, and I also doubt that Bill was replying in a tense tone at all, either. Bill has a terrific sense of humor, --- we giggled our heads off, for example, back when he helped me design my website over 5 years ago.... He is one of the few guys here that I've spent a lot of time socializing with face-to-face and in-person, as we only live about 10 minutes away from each other, and have been over to each other's houses on several occasions. Trust me: "lesbian humor" (or lack thereof) is a big part of San Francisco humor. There's an outrageously bizarre "coffee table" style book sold here in the city with the title, "The History of Lesbian Haircuts"... The funny aspect of that book being that everyone in SF knows that 99% of the lesbians in town all seem to like their hair cut reeeal SHORT!!
I think you explained yourself perfectly well, my friend, --- so, no offense... and no worries!
- Ken in San Francisco
...everyone in SF knows that 99% of the lesbians in town all seem to like their hair cut reeeal SHORT!!
True enough, which brings up the question: If short hair is so popular among lesbians, why isn't long hair as popular among gay men?
I suspect that on the whole, gay men have in the last few decades developed a sort of chip-on-the-shoulder complex about masculinity of a sort that lesbians don't have about femininity. And it seems to have developed after it became generally OK for a dude to wear long hair; I've read somewhere that some gay men in the '70s seem to have thought that straight men had somehow "spoiled" long hair.
Oh, I certainly get it. It's a shame that some people don't get that all intolerance is related, so that they can be on the receiving end for one thing and then dish it out for some other characteristic, perhaps thinking it's somehow completely different, but it isn't.
Maybe another way to look at it is that being intolerant and being in a discriminated group just aren't mutually exclusive, although if we all learnt anything from life they ought to be.
I don't think Bill was offended, just being humorous.
I think when I first became aware of being on the receiving end of discrimination it was for riding a motorcycle. Long hair was too common at the time for anyone to get much traction discriminating against longhairs, but if you walked into the wrong pub in a leather motorcycle jacket they wouldn't serve you. It's been a long time since I rode a bike, but I won't go in anywhere with a sign saying they won't serve bikers. They don't deserve my custom. OTOH, if I was riding a motorcycle I would probably go in, just to p*ss them off.
I can't abide any kind of discrimination, or the people who discriminate. Lack of tolerance is one of the very few things I have zero tolerance for, LOL!
Couldn't agree more elecktros. Being judged on appearance based on someone's biased viewpoint sucks.
Duncan
Just a little humour it was an amusing story.
Kevin
I think this is an excellent victory story and although you may have received intolerance from an unexpected place you received "support" from an unexpected place as well.
I've found this to be true; A buzzcut does always indicate a Hair Nazi.
Of of my direct bosses sports a buzz but never has he had a problem with my hair. He's just happy he has somebody to do an excellent job. He's not above joking about it though which is fine because I have made it quite clear that my hair is something which can be commented on.
Paul
We know where Mr Aldrin got his nickname from then!
To me, this sounds like a victory story in the end afterall, --- CONGRATS!!
Happy Hair Farming!
- Ken in San Francisco
It sounds to me that the big boss has absolutely no problem with people choosing alternative lifestyles. He may not approve of them, but it doesn't seem like he will hold it against someone in a work sense either. If he has an open lesbian in a position of management, I doubt you'll have too much to worry about with long hair. Chances are, being ex-military, though he may not like your choice, he respects your freedom to do as you wish. A freedom that he possibly had to fight for at some point.
I don't know the guy, but it appears he would rather run his business indescrimantly with competent productive workers rather than hire a bunch of conservative clones that are average at best. Kudos to him and good luck to you.
Oh yeah, about the lesbian. I for one would have expected more tolerance, and in fact have gotten a few compliments and encouragements about my hair from lesbians I know, even the ones with almost no hair. But I guess dislike and discrimination can happen even amongst the discriminated against.
Keep it growing!
CJ
Oftentimes, the oppressed seek to become the oppressors, subliminally of course.
Hey, atleast you get tolerance where it counts.
I don't about where you guys live, but around here girls tend to like my hair, and guys don't. Whereas (atleast teacher-wise) men don't mind it as much and women tend to look down on guys with long hair. Although everybody, including guy teachers, at my school are pretty sure that nost of the women teachers are sexist. Especially the english teachers... But I've always had bad english teachers :(
While one would think her being a lesbian, she would be more tolerant, I have encountered a number of gay people who sadly display a great deal of intolerance. They want their rights, but don't respect others rights. This attitude os often found among militant/radical gays, and this lesbian may be one of that rank. Sadly, these types actually set back the gay movement, because they turn society against them. Most gay people I have encountered are pretty laid-back and tolerant, forunately the militants/radicals are but a small fringe group.
Kudos to your ex-military Army Ranger boss, he fought for the very freedom you desire, to wear your hair as you see fit. He put aside personal bias, to see the bigger picture. At least you know the West Point dude has got your back, and you won't suffer harassment from other employees on the job. As it should be.