new thread
Back when I was researching Locks of Love, there was a question about whether a little boy could get a wig. I discovered there was a picture of a little boy right on their web page.
Then I pondered if they would make a LONG haired wig for a little boy if requested. I decided to ask. It took a few days, but they answered my question. Here is the exchange I had:
-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Bensie [mailto:dennisdodie@earthlink.net]
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2003 3:18 PM
To: info@LocksofLove.org
Subject: a question
Hello
My name is Dennis and I have a 13 year old son with alopecia who is
interested in a wig. However, he would like a mid back length, brown
straight haired wig so he can have hair like his older brother and
myself.
You site says you do wigs for boys. the one instance of a boy getting
a wig on your site shows a boy with a short haired wig. Providing we
meet all of the criteria for your program, would you do a long haired
wig for a boy? Have you done many wigs for boys? Have you experience
doing long haired wigs on young men?
Thanks for your time.
-----Original Message-----
From: Myra Reyes [mailto:Myra@locksoflove.org]
Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2003 3:14 PM
To: Info@locksoflove.org
Subject: RE: a question
Dear Dennis,
We can make the prosthetic anywhere from 8 to 14". Longer lengths take
longer to make. All of the wigs come at least 8" in length and once
received by the recipient, it is taken to a hairstylist to be styled.
So yes, we can provide a longer wig for boys.
Please call me if you have any questions at 561-963-1677.
Myra
I am gladd they responded to your question, I am sad that you had to ask. Get a life, and stop asking questions of people who are busy taking care of people who are really sick. Remember its hair, these kids have terminal illness's and have more important things to worry about.
I believe he's being serious; his son wants to have a long wig.
No look down the board, he's just interested in it for the long hair contest. Sad
I think you need to educate yourself on who the people are that Locks of Love assists. It is not primarily those with terminal illnesses, but those who have permanent hair loss. Cancer patients have hair loss as a result of chemotherapy, but this is temporary. Those patients are not the stated targets of Locks of Love. Someone with alopecia would be, though.
Just having alopecia is not associated with terminal diseases.
Ok, so they help people in need, I think thats great! I looked at his last post, seems he did the research. My only point is why tie up someones time? And If I wanted to know more for a true cause I can understand I don't feel this is what happened.
Um, a long-haired wig is a long-haired wig. What difference does it make if it's for a boy or a girl?
Lots of assumptions have been made on this board about Locks of Love. I was making them along with a lot of long haired folks. LOL seems to be growing in popularity and it is obvious they are not going away.
I felt that perhaps I was too quick to judge them and whated to know what they were really about and give them a fair shake if they deserved it. Especially since I am a parent.
Too many people are picking out the half truths and taking things out of context to use as a platform to bash them. I was uneducated and I wanted the facts.
One assumption that bothered me is that they do not provide wigs for little boys....but quickly saw that they do. There is a picture of a little boy who got a wig from them right on their web site.
Then there was a comment on this board that they would not provide a long haired wig to a boy. This seemed very bias to me, as a wig, is a wig, is a wig. If that was the truth, I was ready to ask them why they are being bias. I figured the best way to end the mystery is to simply ask them if they would provide a long haired wig to a boy so I emailed them. I doubt my email, although deceitful, was too much of an inconvience to the company. What I am ultimately trying to do in clear their name and perhaps gather support for them in the long haired community (or at least stop bitching about them).
I am tired of all of the Locks of Love bashing. The ones who need to be bashed are the bullies who are *seriously* harrassing and guilting people into cutting their hair. I think those who CAN be guilted into cutting their long hair when they really do not want to need to stand up for themselves and simply say no.
If you do not want a haircut, don't get one. But there are long haired people who do want a drastic change. If they choose to do so, let them. I get tired of people making decisions and assumptions for others. Don't assume that if you have long hair and would not in your right mind cut if, that no one else in their right mind would either. That is the same as a short haired person *assuming* you would look and feel better with short hair.
My conclusion is that they are a worthwhile cause...but don't send them your hair. Send them money. They are based in somewhat of a "taking from the rich and giving to the poor" concept. However, they are not "stealing" anything. They are operation from donations.
Dennis,
I appreciate your interest and action taken toward looking into Locks of Love in an unemotional and balanced way but I do question the need to deceive. I think it is just as likely they would have responded to your question if you were open about your motives. "I visit a long hair board for men and there is concern that your organization is biased and would not provide a long wig for a qualifying boy if they requested one." Simple, honest, and a valuable use of the charity's time if their positive reply were to garner goodwill or even possible future donations from men here that might choose to shorten their long hair.
Your own moral lapse aside, how about one from Locks Of Love? I would not try to hold them responsible for the misguided actions of the people who try to forcefully convince long haired people to donate their hair but they are complicit when it comes from a salon partnered with Locks of Love. When an ongoing relationship exists between the charity and a salon I find it reprehensible that no apparent attempt is made to educate the stylists about treating the donors with respect.
As an example of this offensive behavior I will cite from a supposedly warmhearted article that appeared in The Daily Texan Online and is linked below. Here is how Virginia Lake, a hairstylist regularly involved in serving donors with a free haircut deals with someone having second thoughts. "Clients become nervous cutting off hair that took years to grow. 'Sometimes they get a little emotional, but then I remind them that they're not the ones who should be crying. The person who should be crying is the person who really needs their hair,' Lake said." Her implication that a longhaired person has more hair then they "need" and that there is a better use for it than to be on that person's head are uncaring and self-serving.
If this was a charity I was involved with, I would be working my hardest to educate people trying to help the cause that pressure is the antithesis of being a caring individual. Somebody who does nothing to help others is better in my eyes than one who will trample people to do supposed good elsewhere. With publicity such as this, Locks of Love can not be unaware of the tactics used to obtain the hair donations they benefit from. That is where they lose my respect.
Finally, Dennis, please consider that things easy for us such as handling pressure may be very difficult for others. Ideally, I would wish everyone was up to that or even better, the skill was never called for, but until then people can be educated to recognize and resist guilt trips.
Elizabeth