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Cool I just found this w-site. I had no idea. I started just doing some research for a college paper and can across a all the content I could ever use. If ya gotta know I've been w/o haircut for two years and love my long hair. the paper I am writing is about weither or not long hair is a fad or fade and intend to prove that it's neither, it's just here to stay. theirs not many longhairs in my school, so would you answer this question for me. Do you think that long hair is becoming more socialy acceptable? tkx fowlmouth2001@aol.com
Hey. I think it's becoming more acceptable in a way... In the sense that people aren't growing it out more, but people who do have long hair now are accepted more... Know what I mean?
Love,
Kiat T.
Since men wearing their hair long has been around before the word "fad" I think it's an extension of one's inner self. I would think something as drastic as the buzzcut is/was a fad.
I'd like to think so. I see a lot of late-teens, early-20, guys wearing their hair non-buzzed nowadays. Maybe their parents got tired of paying $20-$30 every visit to the haircutters for that buzzfade.
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Splat
Long hair seems to be becoming an accepted “fashion”. I (nearly 60 years old) am seeing many men in my age group and older, leaving their hair shoulder length and longer, often in a Ponytail. I am seeing it is all occupations from miners, farmers, scientists, doctors, lawyers, retail, not to mention Klingon Warriors and Professors at the Hogwarts School of Wizardry. HA! I live in the SouthWest US where dress is casual, so it is possible I am seeing more acceptance than in other parts of the world. My belief is that men are just enjoying have their longer hair and enjoying the freedom of the haircut hassle. The last haircut I got was because I felt “I had to” to attend a funeral. It cost $22 dollars (plus a tip), took the guy all of 5 minutes and looked horrible. My hair is now part way down my back, makes a nice tail and when I wear a hat to cover the thinning top, I think it makes me look younger.
I am enjoying my long hair and have no problems on or off the job. From being a member of this board for a while, it is a shame to see that the younger fellows are still being discriminated towards…..I hope that changes.
Good Luck and please share the results of your research with us.
I'm 46, nearly 47, and I'm at the younger trailing end of the 'baby boomers'. Long hair was very common when we were young, and now many 'boomers' are retiring.
I am self-employed, and sometimes I go out places during the day when most people are at work. The other day I was in a bagel place with my wife when an elderly couple came in. The man had long white hair in a ponytail. That was remarkable enough, I suppose, but before they left another retired couple arrived where the guy also had long white hair. His wife's hair was also long and really nice, even though obviously dyed black over white, but I digress.
The point is, we have not only gone beyond the stage where the bosses have or used to have long hair, but we have reached the stage where we are seeing more senior citizens with long hair. I have come across guys who are growing their hair when they retire from working, grandfathers and guys in their 70s with long hair.
Given these facts, it would pretty difficult for long hair not to be gaining greater acceptance, and coming back in as a fashion trend with the teens and 20-somethings can't hurt.
Of course, there are still control freaks who want employees/school pupils/any hapless persons under their control to hack their hair off just beause they can make them do it. They do this more to younger guys, just because they know us old farts won't put up with it!
Ultimately, the only answer is probably in the law, but the courts tend to follow the norms of soceity. In Europe, it looks like the self expression clause of the human rights law may well make it just as hard for these guys to control employees' hair as it already is for them to practice race/sex discrimination. In the US, it could take a little longer. The existing law as it's written already makes it sex discrimination, but weird precedents run counter to the literal word of the statute. Nothing short of a long-haired judge is likely to change that!
Agreed, agreed, and agreed! Being an 'aging Gen-Xer', I thank God for the Baby Boomers who brought about this change. I'm 39, and my superiors actually like my long hair. I believe you are correct in saying that age has alot to do with tolerance of men with long hair. 'Seasoned' citizens are less likely to be bullied by employers than younger, more impressionable adults.
My only lament is that I only attract two types of women. Much older and much younger. By that, I mean 10 years +/-. Women closer to my age do read into the hair a little too much. The 20-somethings and the late 50-somethings, however, are not shy about giving me their #'s and email addresses.
Perhaps that will change, too.
