Endless jokes at work about my long hair

[coldcell]

I know this thread started a number of years ago, but am glad to see a few more posts recently. I neither have long hair or a long beard - quite the opposite in fact. I once went into a very well know Druid organisation's gathering and on the door two people stopped me and asked if I knew it was a pagan event. Puzzled by this I said I did, not really giving it a second thought but when I asked why, this individual said that I didn't look like a pagan - I still don't really know what they meant by that. Granted I did not have a plastic ivy crown on my head and a green velvet cloak on like said person did, but horses for courses. When asked what they meant, they said my shirt and hairstyle didn't make me 'look pagan'....I find that really odd indeed. It's amazing what political persuasions and other character traits people project into other's hair and clothes. After 10 minutes chatting about pagan clothing and hairstyles, I showed the person my tiny Awen necklace that I was suddenly very pleased to be wearing. This did the trick and clearly all was well..

Even on a Druid forum I came across someone, who after seeing a few posts of mine private messaged me to say what a 'nice person' I seemed to be. She apologised that she had made an assumption that I must have been a 'nazi or some right wing person' because of my short hair and tattoos. This lady, however, was one of a couple on the forum who had been going on for some while in her posts about how she was discriminated against at work for being a 'hippy' because of the way she looked and how dreadfully unfair the entire thing was that people were making such judgements of her. A slight case of double standards there, methinks.

This being said, I do own a hemp top or two, I have an Awen necklace and I play the tin whistle and clarsach. Just in case any one sees me out and about...

[Whitemane]

By the way for those hankering to wear a kilt and worried about what or if to wear anything under it a little tip from my husband a proud Scot. If you go for the full modern rig with all the buckles and belts and several layers of material it is much easier and quicker if you go 'alfresco' as the time taken to unbelt your underpants from underneath it all and put it all back together again makes 'paying a call' a major operation. He has a resplendent head of long wavy hair and looks very good in a kilt too!

My father did his National Service in the Seaforth Highlanders. If the uniform of the day was the kilt, the officer of the day could lift up your kilt to check that you were commando. Wearing undies would get you on fatigues.

I really like a kilt, so comfortable not binding.

[DJ Droood]

She apologised that she had made an assumption that I must have been a 'nazi or some right wing person' because of my short hair and tattoos.

I get more of a David Nivan vibe...

[coldcell]

Well quite DJ.

Long hair or short, beard or no beard, these minor details should really not be used as an assessment of character either at work, [or less importantly at pagan events] or anywhere else for that matter. Interestingly, one of the most extreme right-wing people I have ever met wore a crushed velvet green cloak - maybe I should avoid them all together..

[Branflakes]

I have long hair, and once I started growing it out, the comments started rolling in.
My brother's wife started calling me hippie, but she stopped once I started saying "thank you."
My dad made weird comments like "Why don't you donate that hair?" (Um...cuz it's still on my head?)
My coworkers don't say much, except for the occasional "Your hair is longer than mine!" from random ladies.
It was when I attended my brother's church once that got me reeling. After the service, my brother's like, "Some people thought you were my sister." I was like, "WTF?!" These were people I shook hands and talked with. lol. So from that point on, I decided...if long hair plus my babyish face made me look girlish...Grow a beard!
Now I get Jesus remarks from coworkers, but i don't mind those, though I think my beard is a bit too bushy for a Jesus....

[Karl]

Not really at work, but I was sat on a bus once, my sister and her friend behind me. When it was our stop I stood up to find I couldn't actually stand up because they'd tied my hair to the rail on my chair.

[Whitemane]

A few days ago my wife and I stopped for lunch. While we were eating, the manager came to us from behind me. Bear in mind that I did not choose Whitemane as a screen name without good reason. He cheerfully asked "how are you ladies doing?"

Stunned silence, and suppression of laughter, followed by "How are you all doing?"

[ShadowCat]

It's surprising how people react to deviations from the expected. Maybe caution and even agression are something primal, to protect against unknown dangers.

We experience often the same judgements as Coldcell has written about. My s.o. wears slacks (or jeans if feeling casual) and dress-shirts, period. Whether it's at a classical concert or at a Rammstein-concert (we enjoy the whole spectrum of music), pagan gatherings or businessmeetings, he looks about the same. I like to dress up a bit, but in "alternative" crowds he stands out.

In our previous town there was a yearmarket in the streets. The local alternative music-store always put out a keg and a fryer and we had a great time there. We're talking gothic metal, long locks, guys in corsets and gals in rubber-pants here. We came out from work (I worked as a legal professional at the local courthouse at the time, he as a legal counseler) in our "uniforms" aka fancy dress and had a great time with our more excentric clad friends. Most of the townfolks were gawking at the extravagance, then looking away, and then doing quite a funny double take when they realised there were "normal" folks standing between all the mayhem.

In general the people around here are quite accepting of the "odd" in both ways, but often seem suprised at the fact that we meander from quite extreme opposites from one end to the other. We often get the "you here?"-type of remarks.

[Whitemane]

I do enjoy confounding stereotypes.

[Aphritha]

I admit I enjoy throwing people off. With my green hair, face paint, and style that leans on the goth/punk side, people think I'm a partygoer and into all sorts of 'alternative' lifestyles and habits. When they find out I'm a traditional housewife and my living habits are more in sync with those of my grandmothers they're usually quite shocked...

[Whitemane]

I admit I enjoy throwing people off. With my green hair, face paint, and style that leans on the goth/punk side, people think I'm a partygoer and into all sorts of 'alternative' lifestyles and habits. When they find out I'm a traditional housewife and my living habits are more in sync with those of my grandmothers they're usually quite shocked...

There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face.

Macbeth, Act 1, scene 1.

[Claer]

A few days ago my wife and I stopped for lunch. While we were eating, the manager came to us from behind me. Bear in mind that I did not choose Whitemane as a screen name without good reason. He cheerfully asked "how are you ladies doing?"

Stunned silence, and suppression of laughter, followed by "How are you all doing?"

Me and my partner had this happen to us. For a few moments the waiter looked horrified at his mistake, but then we fell about laughing. We still go back to this place and it is now a good joke. When my partner phones to book a table - he just says its for the bearded lady and they know who he means!

[BlazeLeeDragon]

All of my life I had a very short skinhead haircut. Then 18 months ago I started to grow it longer at my wife hinting I looked like a "thug" and why don't we grow my hair a bit... now it is getting on for shoulder length. Not wishing to sound vain here but it suits me long, my wife and daughter love it and actually it's not the problem I thought it would be to look after. It is trimmed and styled regularly so it's not as if its all over the place like some rampant bush..
The only problem is certain people at work even now can't seem to get over it.
The endless taunts of I might like to wear a skirt to work, middle aged men trying to regain a lost youth.. and being called by female names is now getting on my nerves. It is only certain people and when I confronted one who is actually a manager and quoted harrasment in the workplace it all stopped, but not for long.
I contacted the head office and they were brilliant and very concerned, giving me a number to ring if it gets over the top.
My supervisor is great and as far as he is concerned my hair is always clean and well groomed and he doesn't have a problem. Why should a male with a long hair cut be such a novelty? I don't understand, I'm the same bloke and I'm good at my job. I just don't understand this playground mentality. I expected some jokes and a bit of ribbing at first but it has gone from a bit of a laugh to annoying now.

White Star

As you can see clearly from my picture I to have long hair and I'm a male... if it's getting that bad you may need to report this to HR. Before that though, have you tried to talk to them? At the end of the day it's your hair and your choice. Amusingly enough when me and my wife walked down to see fireworks on the 4th of July a teenage kid saw me and said "wear it long, wear it proud" very random but made me smile, he had long hair too.