hair discrimination

why is it in todays society men with long hair is still looked upon as a bad thing why does an employer has the right to dictate how a man wears his hair but no one would ever make a woman cut her hair and no employer would ever tell a woman with short hair "thats a man hair cut you need to have a womens style if you want to work here"

the reason I bring this up is I was told "no one will hire you with long hair. long hair makes people uncomfortable and no one will want to work with you. it makes you look lazy and untrustworthy"
I'm not saying I want do it but why is hair discrimination still problem today? I should get a job based on my abilities not my hair.

"Hair discrimination" - that's funny.

You do realize that is really easy overcome, right? Cut your hair. Problem solved. You will no longer be disadvantaged by hair discrimination.

Try dealing with age, race, or sex discrimination. Not so easy to fix.

When you take on a job or project, you stretch to excel at the job and exceed expectations. It is not the client's role to accommodate your lifestyle preferences. That is unless you are such a rare commodity that you can call the shots. Then you can demand bottled water and no green M&M's.

But until that glorious day arrives, you are packaging yourself as a commodity that will solve the client/employer's problems. That is your job - find out what the boss needs and deliver the solution so they look good. Do that and every employer will want you.

I can't help fast forwarding scenes in porn with men with long hair. I find it unattractive. Just like I wouldn't watch a scene with a bull dike either. Beauty in the eye of the beholder.

The topic may be funny, but I still wonder why must short hair be related to professional look. Even if you hair is more than 2 inches, it's already considered unprofessional

Everyone who has written his answer here is right. So far, so good.
My opinion to this topic is as follows: 1st - I think such long hair is out of fashion today - but nonetheless to each his own.
2nd - it depends very much from the job. If you are working in a Bank or in a job with much public business there will be a dress code and that will include the hairdo. Or think at the very extreme example of the Army! And in a Job with a dress code the boss can dictate as well the haircut. Look, in my office I dictate my employees a good dark blue suit with a white shirt and a decent necktie - or a decent dress for female employees. And to this outfit for the guys and females a nice hairdo.

Sometimes it will be impossible for a guy to get a good job because of his tattoos. Here in Berlin for instance you cannot be a cop with visible tattoos. On other jobs no one will say a word about your tattoos.

But there will be surely so many jobs out there, where such strict dresscodes are really impossible.

And a last word at the end - and I hope so much you will not be angry - perhaps you should cut your long hair and start with this transformation and new look a new life. Get out of your old pupation cocoon and be a new man like a new and happy butterfly. And suddenly there will be too success and appreciation. Perhaps it will be like a spring cleaning! Please reconsider this - it is an honest and serious suggestion.

topdog said:

"Hair discrimination" - that's funny.

You do realize that is really easy overcome, right? Cut your hair. Problem solved. You will no longer be disadvantaged by hair discrimination.

Try dealing with age, race, or sex discrimination. Not so easy to fix.

When you take on a job or project, you stretch to excel at the job and exceed expectations. It is not the client's role to accommodate your lifestyle preferences. That is unless you are such a rare commodity that you can call the shots. Then you can demand bottled water and no green M&M's.

But until that glorious day arrives, you are packaging yourself as a commodity that will solve the client/employer's problems. That is your job - find out what the boss needs and deliver the solution so they look good. Do that and every employer will want you.

Click to expand...

you miss the point I'm making. yes age, race, and sex discrimination is bad but to me this is just as bad. like I say before no one would make woman cut her hair but for a man is ok to say you look lazy, untrustworthy, and dirty. it's still discrimination no matter how you look at it. and yes it can be easily fixed but I should not have to. it like telling someone "Gingers, need not apply unless you are willing to dye your hair"

it is completely impossible for some to be themselves in this world and thats sad

wardell said:

you miss the point I'm making. yes age, race, and sex discrimination is bad but to me this is just as bad. like I say before no one would make woman cut her hair but for a man is ok to say you look lazy, untrustworthy, and dirty. it's still discrimination no matter how you look at it. and yes it can be easily fixed but I should not have to. it like telling someone "Gingers, need not apply unless you are willing to dye your hair"

Click to expand...

I agree absolutely, In the 1960s when i was going through high school guys had to put up with this kind of attitude. Then for a while it became fashionable and acceptable, until the bloody 1980s, a decade that has a lot to answer for.

I don't know what you can do about it. You could maybe become a musician. either progressive rock, or "heavy metal".Long hair seems to be not merely acceptable, but more or less compulsory, for those guys.

wardell said:

you miss the point I'm making. yes age, race, and sex discrimination is bad but to me this is just as bad... it is completely impossible for some to be themselves in this world and that's sad

Click to expand...

I think I got it. You are a unique person with your own style and something like that should not be a reason to dismiss your other talents and abilities. It is not fair to dismiss someone based on their looks.

And all of that is true. And completely irrelevant to your current career situation.

To succeed at work you need to become the solution the client/employer is looking for. Look at it this way - let's say that you are an actor and you want a specific part. You will do what it takes to get it - lose weight, shave your head, learn to ride a horse. Your job is to become the character that the director wants. I'm sure you have seen actors go through these challenges to give the performance and look that is right for the project.

Every work project is like that to some extent. If you want to excel then you do everything you can to solve the issues that your boss faces.

Here is a trick I do - it's called "Give Myself an 'A'". I tell myself "I am going to get an "A" for this project or job. What does "A" work look like? Then I write down what I would do to exceed expectations earn that grade. That gives me my objectives. (Tip: It also gets my head out of fear and judgement mode and focuses me on the things that are within my power to do.)

My question to you: is your hair more important than turning in an Oscar winning performance? If it is, then keep it. Nobody is going to hand you success on a plate and if you aren't willing to work hard for it and make sacrifices (like your hair), then forget it. But wouldn't it be great to see what you can unleash on the world when you throw everything you have into the mix, holding nothing back?

Go all in on getting this job. Show them what you're made of. To quote Yoda, on this Star Wars Day (May 4th):

brmstn69 said:

You all seem to be missing the point here. Hair discrimination IS sexual discrimination. No employer would ever dare to tell a woman they must have short hair, so why is it OK to dictate short hair for men?

Click to expand...

Totally right - but nonetheless, whatever we want or hope to get, it depends for 100% from the sort of the job. And if I want a job, because I'm able to do it, and there is such a dictate it is my free decision to say "NO" and search and perhaps find another one or subjugate myself to the order of this special job. You can change your trappings and I think it is not a discrimination.

It is totally another thing if you would be not accepted because you are a black man - because a black man cannot change to be white. Or a Chinese or Japanese cannot change the form of his eyes.

But honestly what means a haircut if I will get a good or a better job?

brmstn69 said:

You all seem to be missing the point here. Hair discrimination IS sexual discrimination. No employer would ever dare to tell a woman they must have short hair, so why is it OK to dictate short hair for men?

Click to expand...

Some industries do it and it's not considered discrimination. No shampoo or hair dye commercials show bald or shaven head models. Tampons aren't endorsed by men. Having a bacon cheese burger on the menu is not anti whatever group. Exclusively hiring Nigerians at the Nigerian Embassy is not discrimination. Banks and law firms aren't discriminating against the poor when they require a dress code. Abercrombie and Fitch hire what they hire....... It suits the need of the company and its image, it's not discrimination. Too many people jump to use that word at first chance.

It would be awful having women star in mm porn due to equal opportunity.

brmstn69 said:

You all seem to be missing the point here. Hair discrimination IS sexual discrimination.

Click to expand...

Oh, I'm getting the point. I'm just not buying it.

Gender, race, sexual orientation, or a physical handicap are all immutable traits - that's what makes such discrimination crippling. They have the effect of discarding a person because they can't alter that attribute. A black person can't become white and a blind person can't do something to gain sight.

Long hair is fashion. Nothing could be more changeable. Nothing could be easier to alter, and voilà - no more discrimination! Please don't compare picketing for hair rights with lower pay for women or handicapped people being dismissed before they are even seen. You can go from disadvantaged to privileged any time you want for the price of a haircut.

I am not my hair style. Hair and fashion are a variable I have at my disposal to press an advantage on a work project. Superficial, yes, but I can use those options to get an extra edge. That is the purpose of fashion - it is a tool you can use to get what you want. That's why it exists. (Or, you can use it as an excuse as to why you can't get what you want. That option is available as well.)

Which is why this comes back to the question of: What do you want? Do you want to have long hair? Is that actually a goal? If that is so, then I hope you have a trust fund tucked away some where to support you as you follow your dream.

I am suggesting that we can maybe dream bigger than that. Want something big and use everything at your disposal to get it. Make a wish and blow out the candles. What is it? Is it really just having long hair?

topdog said:

Oh, I'm getting the point. I'm just not buying it.

Gender, race, sexual orientation, or a physical handicap are all immutable traits - that's what makes such discrimination crippling. They have the effect of discarding a person because they can't alter that attribute. A black person can't become white and a blind person can't do something to gain sight.

Long hair is fashion. Nothing could be more changeable. Nothing could be easier to alter, and voilà - no more discrimination! Please don't compare picketing for hair rights with lower pay for women or handicapped people being dismissed before they are even seen. You can go from disadvantaged to privileged any time you want for the price of a haircut.

I am not my hair style. Hair and fashion are a variable I have at my disposal to press an advantage on a work project. Superficial, yes, but I can use those options to get an extra edge. That is the purpose of fashion - it is a tool you can use to get what you want. That's why it exits. (Or, you can use it as an excuse as to why you can't get what you want. That option is available as well.)

Which is why this comes back to the question of: What do you want? Do you want to have long hair? Is that actually a goal? If that is so, then I hope you have a trust fund tucked away some where to support you as you follow your dream.

I am suggesting that we can maybe dream bigger than that. Want something big and use everything at your disposal to get it. Make a wish and blow out the candles. What is it? Is it really just having long hair?

Click to expand...

:agree::agree::agree::agree::agree:

brmstn69 said:

By your logic the same could be said of a Muslim woman's head scarf or Sikh's turban...

Click to expand...

Are they fashion? I guess that is something to think about.

Is that why they wear the head scarf and turban? Is that why nuns wear a habit and priests wear a collar? Is that why orthodox Jews keep their heads covered and Mormons wear temple garments? Are they a fashion statement?

Or is it an outward symbol of their religion? That is what I see. Isn't that why businesses accommodate these exceptions to dress codes? Out of respect for religious expression?

topdog said:

Are they fashion? I guess that is something to think about.

Is that why they wear the head scarf and turban? Is that why nuns wear a habit and priests wear a collar? Is that why orthodox Jews keep their heads covered and Mormons wear temple garments? Are they a fashion statement?

Or is it an outward symbol of their religion? That is what I see. Isn't that why businesses accommodate these exceptions to dress codes? Out of respect for religious expression?

Click to expand...

:thumbs up::thumbs up::agree::agree::agree:
Totally on my line! - Why always and at once the weapon of "discrimination"?!

Brmstn69 I really fully accept your opinion and your fight for the freedom of each individual person to express his/her style of life.

But on the other hand I don't have the impression that (for instance) my employees are feeling themselves as "prisoners" or "slaves" because of their short hair cut and their ties or suits or white shirts.

I would accept too a long haired employee if he would bind a nice ponytail - no problem!

But as I have said: please don't fight against everything what is against your own private development as a crime of discrimination. Everyone can do everything he wants to do in his downtime. May he wear long hair, jeans with cut holes - sloppy look whatever.

But in special jobs it isn't possible. It really isn't possible. And deep in my heart I know - you will know that as well!

From Wikipedia (entry: "Queue"):
The Manchu hairstyle was forcefully introduced to Han Chinese in the early 17th century during the Manchu conquest of China. ...
The Manchu hairstyle signified Han submission to Qing rule, and also aided the Manchu identification of those Han who refused to accept Qing dynasty domination.

The hairstyle was compulsory for all males and the penalty for non-compliance was execution for treason. In the early 1910s, after the fall of the Qing dynasty, the Chinese no longer had to wear the Manchu queue.
Unquote

Well, it depends upon the company. if you go for an interview where is casual dressing and people are more relaxed or an academic environment, yes, long hair will be ok. If you go for an interview where the dress code is suits and ties, your hair will possible not help you. This is not an issue of what you like; it's about what makes you likeable. Especially since you are stuck in an employer's market, you must make yourself desirable on their terms. C'est la vie!