Un-femininity: women with shaved heads

Source of photos here

I want to post a few thoughts regarding our notions of femininity, to discuss and challenge what is considered characteristic and/or necessary parts of being a woman. Thus the title "un-femininity" questions whether the aspects mentioned in the posts are in fact unfeminine.

So recently, perhaps due to summer heat or artsy moods, I have been wondering about women with shaved heads. Not that I am seriously considering shaving my head, but in a sense I am attracted to the notion. There is just something so freeing and startling about it. Even in our age where men with long hair are noticeable but not uncommon, women with shaved heads are singled out, and usually not in a good way.

We still consider women's hair essential for femininity, and women with long, full hair are true women indeed. Just notice how many volumizing, moisturizing, safe-guarding, upkeeping, and accessorizing products exist for women's hair. Women are at their best when their hair is straightened, then waved, lightened and brightened, shiny and noticeable. Women who chose to keep their hair short usually have to justify their look by being "an artsy pixie" or worse, by being a "psycho chick who took a raiser to her head". Whereas women with longer hair are just women. This obsession with long hair for women could be part of the general focus on women's appearances. Although it seems that there is a special connection between women's hair and femininity in that when hair is missing, womanhood is fundamentally compromised and often women must overcompensate with other symbols of femininity to convince others to see them as women, like by parading children in strollers or wearing frilly dresses.

So yes, something inside is telling me to be a walking example of changing femininity.