Traditionally long hair has always been a symbol of masculinity. All of history’s great warriors had long hair from the Greeks(who wrote odes to their heroes’ hair)to the Nordic, from the American Indians(famous for their long shiny hair) to the Japanese. And the longer and more beautiful the hair, the more manly the warriors were considered. Vikings had their braids and samurai used their long hair as a symbol of their honor, they cut their braids when they lost their honor. Ethiopian warriors also had long hair, King Tewodros had long braided hair.
Short hair in men is a relatively new invention that has nothing to do with aesthetics. Nowadays, men wear it short because the people conquered by the Romans adopted this habit generation after generation, and we inherit it. Nowadays, it seems almost natural, and many believe men are better off that way, but the belief is the result of cultural indoctrination. In addition to the reasons the Romans had for cutting their hair, short hair became a symbol of humiliation.
When a warrior was captured they cut his mane to humiliate him, to take away his beauty. This habit has been incorporated into what is military service today, when new soldiers begin their training the first thing they do is cut off their hair to undermine their self-esteem, make them submissive, and show them who is in charge. Men are not so worried about aesthetics and it is very comfortable to use it for their shorts. Still, if we think about it, the social obligation to cut one’s hair is comparable to the oppression suffered by women throughout history- not letting them show their legs by wearing short skirts & not letting them wear trousers which doesn’t apply anymore.
Nowadays we see humiliated men, sometimes called “gay or effeminate” for using long hair, not knowing that short hair is actually anti-masculinity and it’s a repressive social imposition.
Why boys in school are forced to cut their hair but girls are not?
Why are men required to cut their hair in various institutions such as banks, hotels, courts, airlines, medical institutions, the military, etc but women are not?
Why are boys and young men forced/required to cut their hair in schools and universities but not young women and girls?
The usual reason is for discipline and presentability. If we see it logically and reasonably isn’t it logical to require girls and women to cut their hair also in order to make them disciplined and presentable? OR only boys and men need discipline? If there are no problems in the learning & teaching environment when girls and women wear long hair then logically there will be no problem if we allow boys and men to wear long hair.
Why are men required/forced to cut their hair in banks, hotels, and law institutions, but not women?
The usual reason is presentability, discipline, and professionalism. If that’s the case isn’t it logical to require women to cut their hair also so that they will be professionally disciplined and presentable? OR presentability, professionalism, and discipline only work for men? Hair is hair & both men and women have the same kinds of hair so if we say long hair is undisciplined and unprofessional then women are unprofessional and undisciplined for growing their hair therefore they should be required to cut it.
Why are men required/forced to cut their hair in medical institutions, in aviation, and in the military?
Male medical professionals are required/forced to cut their hair for hygienic and practical reasons. They are required to cut their hair to prevent bacteria and other infectious diseases from being transmitted to the patient. If that’s the case isn’t it logical to require women doctors and nurses to cut their hair to prevent bacteria and infectious diseases from being transmitted to the patient? OR do hygiene and practicality only work on men? Hair is hair and both men’s & women’s hair can transmit bacteria and can cause hygienic issues so either both should be required to cut their hair or men should be allowed to have long hair like women.
Why are men required/forced to cut their hair in aviation and in the military but women are not?
The usual reason is for practicality, hygienic, defensive, and safety reasons. Male pilots are required to cut their hair for hygienic, practical, and professional reasons. If male pilots are required to cut their hair for safety and hygienic reasons as long hair can cause safety and hygienic issues as well as practicality and professionalism then the logical thing to do is either require women to cut their hair or allow men to wear long hair like women. When we see the military male soldiers are required to cut their hair for practical, hygienic, disciplined, defensive, and professional reasons. In the military men are required to cut their hair to prevent enemy soldiers from grabbing the hair, not only that man in the army are required to cut their hair for hygienic and discipline reasons. If we think reasonably and logically then women’s hair can also cause hygienic, defensive problems. If we also say long hair is unprofessional and undisciplined then women are unprofessional and undisciplined therefore they should be required to cut their hair like the men. Women can even use wigs, fake nails, fake eyelashes, earrings, nail polish, and makeup while in uniform how is that supposed to enhance combat readiness or presentability? How is that supposed to enhance hygienic conditions and practicality?
People should know this has nothing to do with making men and women the same or total equality, it’s about being reasonable and having equal rights.
The other challenge is that religious people justify this blatant discrimination by saying “The Bible ordered men to cut their hair”. Well if we go by that logic the Bible also says “We have to stone a woman to death for adultery”, it also states that a woman should cover her head and dress modestly in addition it says “I don’t permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, she must be Silent”:- so are we going to implement and practice all of this also without cherry picking it? If we are going by the Bible logic then we should implement the verses that talk about women.
It’s like “Want a longer hair? If you are a woman, you can, but if you are a man, you can’t- blatant sexism. Allowing women to have longer hair demonstrates that the Military, airlines, medical institutions, etc do not see any strong practical, hygienic, or safety reasons to forbid it. In that case, the right thing to do would be to permit it under identical rules regardless of what gender the soldier, doctor, or pilot in question happens to be.
There are many unreasonable things like this for example- many airlines hire women whose height is 1.57 or 1.65 but these same airlines don’t hire men with the same height as the women which is illogical and discriminatory. If a woman pilot can fly a plane while being 1.65 then how can a man with the same height can’t fly a plane?
If we see dressing protocols also women journalists, government officials, managers, even prime ministers and presidents can wear whatever they want while men are required to wear suits only. There are no alternative professional clothes for men. The problem is men don’t support each other women changed many oppressive dress codes in history by marching and acting together. Men are chained by competition- a competition to show which one is more masculine and manly. Men don’t care about each other, they hate and compete with each other because that’s what they are conditioned to do. A man is seen as manly when he doesn’t care about his rights and well-being, he is seen as manly when he puts himself in danger when he doesn’t care about his rights and wellbeing, and when he only provides and serves for society.
Bachelor of Computer Science(works as a men’s and women’s rights advocate) and the first Ethiopian NCFM liaison.
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