“Just a trim, my man likes it long”
A think piece. A brief history lesson on the psychology of long hair —and how men so often end up part of the conversation in the salon . Almost every hairstylist I know has seen this meme: Or has heard these words: “Don’t take too much… my boyfriend likes it long.” “My husband likes it long.” “Her dad likes it long.” “He won’t let me cut it.” Notice the pattern? Ah yes—the patriarchy . This is a clear example of how deeply many of us have internalized the male gaze . “ The Male Gaze ,” a term coined by theorist Laura Mulvey , describes how women are viewed through a heterosexual masculine lens and, as a result, are objectified. In simple terms, women are often conditioned to believe they are only beautiful if that beauty is validated by a man. Within this power dynamic, agency shrinks. When someone says these words out loud, they position themselves as subordinate—someone who needs permission or approval from a man to make decisions about their own body. Even something as seemingly s...
