Some suggestions on how to deal with those individuals who take it upon themselves to tell you how they don't like your hair being so long. One irritating new breed of comment has to do with a group called Locks of Love. It's become very high profile due to the Maury Povitch show on TV which celebrates this sick display of short haired people goading, proding and harrassing people with long hair into letting them cut if off, often with tears following after when they realize what they have done. There is no follow up after the show is over to see how people deal with cutting off part of their body and personality that has been lovingly developed over the years. I even saw Maury tell one of the people that they were selfish for having long hair. That's screwed up!
The result of these shows is that a fair number of people feel the responsiblilty to go out of their way to tell you that you should think about donating your hair to this group...and usually after they just complimented you on it. There are some things at the bottom of this page that you need to know about "Locks of Love" before you embrace their seemingly wonderful work.
I would like to point out that almost all of the reaction/comments that I get on my long hair are positive and come from both women and men. Negative comments tend to be few and far between but the "you-should-think-about-donating-your-hair" comments do persist and as I think about it they always come from women. Here are some suggestions in case you do run into them.

 

Type of comment:

Response:

When are you going to get a haircut?
(Men often hear this from children as children are already being programmed to view people in a limited way)
-When hell freezes over (never).
-I already get it trimmed on a regular basis like you do..
-Why should I get it cut & why would I since I like it?
-Maybe someday you will grow your hair too.
-When are you going to let YOURS grow?
-Why, do you need some to help protect your head too?
I can cut your hair for you. -No, thanks. I want it long.
-I don't need it cut.
-Come near me with those things and I'll cut your heart out with them!
-Does the pressure to conform have THAT strong of a hold over you?
-Maybe... if you let me shave your head first.
You need a haircut! -Why, so I can look just like you?
-You need to let YOUR hair grow.
-Where have you been for the past 40 years?
-Don't know much about history do you?
-I want it long.
-Why?
You can give your hair to locks of love. -I'm using it.
-I spent a long time growing it so I can enjoy it.
-How rude! Do you always go up to strangers and say that?
-They can get hair from somewhere else.
-That is what hats are for.
-Why don't YOU donate money? I've heard they need that more!
-(totally ignore them)
-Why? They'll just sell it for a profit or throw it away.
You'll need to cut your hair to work here. -Does that also apply for the women employees? Why not?
-What if I tied it back, braided it or tucked it under a cap?
-I don't want to work for a place that is so petty.
-Could you be any more ingnorant?
-Do you really feel that my hair can/will hurt your company?
-Why don't you go check the laws about that.
-My hair is a symbol of my committment to myself which also extends to the things I do. What does short hair mean to you?
Can I have your hair?
Women say this a lot to men with hair.
-Nope, I'm using it.
-No, but you can borrow it for a little while!
-Well...I'll let you feel it if you want.
-You should grow your own.
-Can I have $20? (reference to Adams Family movie)
-Sure, Bo Derek set the market price for a head of long hair at $1,000,000. I take cash.
I hate you!
A very common comment from women to men with long hair. Almost like a greeting except that you usually don't know them.
-Well, I don't hate you.
-Thank you, I love being hated like that.
-Don't hate me, looove me.
-C'mon, hate me some more, baby!
How can you stand having such long hair? -Because I want / like long hair.
-How can you stand having such short hair?
-Have you ever REALLY tried it yourself?
You look like a girl! -*%&$ off!
-And are you attracted?
-So, this one feature overrides all my other male characteristics? Do you know the difference?
-Gee, my goatee must really mess with your mind!
-Yea? Well, YOU look like that short-haired girl over there!
-This thing between my legs says that I'm not a girl.
-I can tell that you grew up in a very sheltered community.
-Hey, there's this new music called rock & roll that you might like...
I don't like men with long hair.
I hear this one fairly often from women.
-Some people do and some don't.
-It's good that you know what you like.
-And how do you know until you tried one?
-You don't know what you're missing.
-Are you telling me this for a reason?
-So, what time shall I pick you up?
-Really? I don't like women who look like you. (with a smile)
You look like Jesus!
Grandparents or church folk may say this as a way to deal with you having long hair.
-So, you really think that Jesus (if he existed, though probably fabricated) was a caucasian longhair like in the picture that is so popular? Probably not:

 

From the rumor mill about Locks of Love:

It's going around that Locks of Love has more hair than they have money to make the hairpieces out of.  That is, they have tons of hair lying around, and not enough money to have it made into the wigs they wish to provide. 
If people want to help them they should donate money to them, not hair.
(that means that all the short-haired people suggesting you donate your hair should just keep it to themselves and get to forking over some cash!).
I actually don't recommend giving them money (or hair) due to the reasons listed below.
I've also heard that they are now selling hair for a profit (remember...donated hair) on Ebay.

Now for the real skinny on them:

Locks of Love only uses about 3% of the hair donated for wigs. The rest is either sold for profit or "disposed of". Grey hair or hair less than 10" is sold by them. Girls under 6 receive synthetic hairpieces. Locks of Love cannot link donors to recipients. Long hair is considered by them to be only for girls because as they put it, "it is socially acceptable for young men to have short, shaved, or even no hair". They only make a small number of wigs a year and often charge the families they are "donating" them to. As a charity bringing in over $250k they are required to make a public accounting for their activity on request but don't. Much of this info is from their own website.

In the past, according to Give.org, Locks of Love as a listed charity failed to make public a required report of it's finances.

Donating your hair because you were bullied into it is wrong and only shows low self-esteem. This is really becoming an irritation for people with long hair who have to put up with numerous comments from strangers and even people they know telling them that they are selfish (when they are not!) just for wearing their natural hair at the length that they want!
Help others with their esteem by lowering yours? What does that accomplish?

 

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