For decades, I’ve toyed with the idea of dying my hair some wild color, and always chickened out. In January 2017 I came thiiiiiiiiis close to coloring it pink for the Women’s March, but at the last minute settled for a pink pussy hat.
When I attended a music jam in April of this year, Mr. Brillig finally encouraged me to take the plunge and I bought two tubes of blue dye. When the moment came to choose lighter or darker, I once again got nervous and ended up with this:
It was definitely blue, and I loved it, but it was somewhat understated. I got a lot of positive feedback from friends, and the occasional “I like your hair” from strangers. After folks also working on the campaign I’ve been volunteering for this primary season made a ‘blue wave’ comment, I made the decision to dye my hair blue for Netroots Nation in August. Grab a beverage (perhaps something made with Curaçao?) and join me below the story break and after a word from our sponsor for some thoughts by brillig the blue…
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The day before we boarded the plane to New Orleans, Mr. Brillig once again took my chosen tube of dye and after three hours with a plastic bag on my head. As you can see, I went with Not So Subtle this time...
Well. This was most definitely a Statement color. I used that entire tube of Sapphire Blue fully aware that people would notice, and notice they did. Aside from the ease with which friends and strangers alike could find me (“You’re looking for brillig? She’s got blue ha… ahh. You know who I mean in this 3000 person conference”), it also formed an instant bond with anyone else who happened to have an unnatural hair color. At NN18 there were a surprisingly large number of other blue-haired folks, along with many other colors. I’ve never been to a Netroots where so many people I didn’t know came up to say hi, and all of them mentioned the hair.
One afternoon I’d been chatting in the conference hotel main lobby and then went to get coffee in the attached coffee shop, the barista said she was glad I’d come over, because she hoped to be able to say how much she liked my hair. She asked if I could stay a minute until the rush died down, then pulled up pictures on her phone to show me her greenhaired days. “We aren’t allowed to have colored hair and work here” she said sadly. We conspired about how she could dye just the underside, and that way could show it if she put her hair in certain styles but hide it for work.
It’s been a month since I dyed it, and it’s faded a bit but still is FAR more blue than that first shade. I’ve had more people than I expected comment directly to me about it, all overwhelmingly positive. I’ve been told it makes me look younger. More fun. Artsy (although blue hair does not carry with it the power to improve my drawing or other artistic skills or lack thereof!). But one particular type of comment has been most prevalent: people who love it on me, wish they could do so, but either are not permitted by their employers, or believe it will hinder them professionally. The latest instance was a woman who followed me from the checkout line at Whole Foods (my within-walking-distance grocery store option) to tell me she loved my hair. I said my usual “you should try doing yours!” and she said sadly that as a nurse, she felt her patients wouldn’t take her seriously if she had unnaturally colored hair.
I’ve heard the same, albeit less so recently, about people who have visible tattoos. That they couldn’t have them and work in certain industries. K1 has been hesitant to get a tattoo besides the one behind her ear that can be hidden by hair because she wants to work with children in an educational setting, and is concerned a visible tattoo might hinder her employability.
It seems to me that good nurses are good nurses regardless of what color hair they have! As are good welders, bank tellers, baristas etc. In several weeks I will step up to the microphone as a worship assistant at my church. My ability to do so is not affected by the color or cut of my hair, and I can be just as respectful blonde as blue. So tell me, dear readers… would you take someone less seriously because their hair was an unnatural shade of blue, pink, purple or green? Does the presence of a tattoo on your doctor, lawyer or waiter bother you? Let’s talk personal expression in the comments!
Thank you to BeninSC for collaborating with me on tonight’s edition of Top Comments. Hrmm… I wonder what color he’d dye his if he ever decided to? :)
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down.
Note: Please remember that comment inclusion in Top Comments does not constitute support or endorsement by diarist, formatter, Top Comments writers or DailyKos. Questions, complaints or comments? Contact brillig.
From Wee Mama:
In Georgia Logothetis’s version of today’s Abbreviated pundit roundup, The Geogre, with this comment, provides an excellent interpretation of “flippers should be illegal” and Trump’s unconscionable use of NDAs.
Highlighted by Classic33:
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Is this comment by semaphore27, also on MAGA supporters, not that inclined to sympathy for the choices they make! (Also destined for tomorrow’s Top Mojo!)
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TOP MOJO
Top Mojo for yesterday, August 27th, 2018, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on FAQing Top Mojo.
TOP PICTURES
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