ATH thinks | Lesbian Haircuts: Does Your Haircut Reveal Your Sexual Preference?

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Your hair does not determine your identity or sexual orientation, of course. He undercut not necessarily a lesbian cut and not all gay they dye their hair, but it does seem to be part of semiotics queer (someone who is not heterosexual or cisgender).

In recent years, true type of cut Bob has been known as bi bob due to its association with bisexual culture. In 2015, a Tumblr user noticed that some animated characters perceived as bisexual (Marceline de adventuretime, Korra’s Avatar: The Legend of Korra and Max Caulfield of life is strange) shared this style. She resonated with other users of the social network and became part of the collective imagination.

According to social media, the Bob bisexual is a court Bob half, with a length between the chin and the shoulders. Which is to say, not too long and not too short, an incidental reflection of the way bisexual women are neither straight nor gay.

During the 1920s, the cut Bob it became a symbol of freedom and rebellion against gender norms. But it was in the 1980s and 1990s, as women embraced professional power clothing and began to experiment more openly with their sexuality, that this haircut entered the visual language of bisexuality.

Hair as a manifesto of identity

Woman with shaved lesbian cut
Hair can be a way of expressing identity, resistance or belonging to a group and challenging existing norms and power structures. Credit: cottonbro studio/Pexels.

Historically, the LGBTQ+ community He has manifested his identity through personal style. semiotics queer (the analysis and interpretation of the symbols and signs used in this form of expression) It arose in the 1970s, in cities like New York and San Francisco, when it was illegal to declare any non-heteronormative or cisgender identity or sexual preference. So, wearing certain clothes, hairstyles, makeup and other visual elements communicated a person’s identity or sexual preference to a knowledgeable audience, thus building an aesthetic code necessary for recognition among like-minded individuals.

This visual language evolved to become key to the development of communities queer visible. Thus, the hair acquired a political character.

In the 1980s, people queer they adopted the cut mullet as a sign of identity due to its ambiguous character —short in front and long in the back—, following in the footsteps of the icon David Bowie. Today, the cut continues to be part of semiotics queerwith artists like Miley Cyrus, Kirsten Stewart, King Princess and Christine and the Queens.

Of an androgynous appearance, the undercut —shaved at the nape and sides and long at the top— is popularly recognized as a lesbian cut. The same happens with the sidecut, hair shaved on one side and long on the other. She wore it Cyndi Lauper in the 80s and the model queer Alice Dellal put him back on the radar in 2014.

Lesbian woman with undercut and purple hair.
For centuries, many ‘queer’ women have chosen to wear short hair, traditionally associated with masculinity. Credit: cottonbro studio/Pexels.

On the broadest spectrum, many women queer have decided to take the short hair from long ago. As early as the 18th and 19th century, some women posed as men, cutting their hair and adopting masculine clothing. The reasons ranged from financial independence to the expression of identity and sexuality.

Cultural and social norms influence the association of long hair with femininity and short hair with masculinity. In some societies, short hair is considered more practical and functional, which is consistent with traditional gender roles assigned to men, such as participation in physical or work activities that require greater comfort and mobility.

Instead, long hair is not practical, but rather beautiful, a quality that has historically been attributed to women. According to evolutionary biology, the length and quality of the hair act as a sign of youth and vitality. This shows the reproductive potential of a woman. As hair grows slowlya long mane can reveal two to three years of your state of health, nutrition, age and reproductive fitness.

Beyond the haircut, the community gay It has another important marker: color. In 2019, Bob the Drag Queen, winner of the competition show RuPaul’s Drag Racetweeted: “If a man gay He bleaches his hair, go and check him out. He’s going through a difficult time.” In recent years, the bleached hair it has become an indicator—or, at least, a meme—of a mental health crisis among gay men. And while heterosexuals also take refuge in dye packaging, homosexuals have embraced it as a widely understood cultural marker for chaos. “For the gaydyeing blonde has a lot of cultural significance around our own feelings regarding masculinity, femininity, age, attractiveness, etc. ”, explains Mathew Rodríguez in an article for Out.

Lesbian woman with mullet cut and bleached hair
Carrying the aesthetic code of a community contributes to the sense of belonging and solidarity with it. Credit: cottonbro studio/Pexels.

Hair is perhaps the most distinctive feature of our physique. That is why we use it to represent our identity and it provokes an emotional response in us. According to a Pantene study, 60% of LGBTQ+ people in the United States change their hair when they come out of the closet. Carrying the aesthetic code of a community contributes to the sense of belonging and solidarity with it. “We use beauty and style for self-expression, to amplify the parts of ourselves that we want others to connect with,” Kathryn Vandervalk wrote in an article for byrdie.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that if you’re in the LGBTQ+ community, you have to change your appearance to fit in. Nor that, if you don’t belong but want to wear a style commonly associated with it, you automatically convert. Be queer It’s in how you think and feel, not how you look. But there is also value in wanting to be perceived as we are.

Are they stereotypes? Yes, although that’s not inherently bad. According to science, stereotypes can arise for various reasons, such as the need to reduce the complexity and uncertainty of the world, the tendency to look for patterns and categories to organize information and experience, the influence of culture and education, and the need of social belonging and acceptance.

However, it is important to note that stereotypes are inaccurate simplifications of reality and can lead to discrimination, prejudice and exclusion of groups of people. Therefore, it is essential that we learn to identify and question them to avoid their negative effects.

What do you think? Let’s continue the Instagram conversation! you find us like @allthingshairmex.

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