A Hair cut is the Best Way to Rid the Toxic Norms

When supermodel Taylor Hill revealed her new 'bixie' haircut via TikTok, many people were talking. "OMG, why would she cut her hair?" one user wrote, and many more commented on how she's "ruined her hair." It wasn't until a few days later, when it had appeared that she cut her hair even shorter, full-on embracing the pixie cut, that people started to really judge, creating think pieces on why she and other women should not cut their hair.  

Women can be funny and have short hair, but the two CAN NOT be one and the same. Earlier this year, Florence Pugh's personality went from cute and relatable to annoying and desperate. For her recent film A Good Person, she took it upon herself, and on behalf of her character, to cut her hair. Then, at the Met Gala, she showed off her buzzed look, and people made an even bigger fuss. 

Anne Hathway did the same, cutting her hair short for her role in Les Miserables, in which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Although, instead of focusing on her win, the topic of discussion was her hair and stylist. And like many celebrities, they turned Hathaway and her character into countless memes.  

Jenner Lawrence cut her hair into a pixie cut at the height of her career, saying, "It couldn't get any uglier" after being heavily bleached and dyed during the Hunger Games franchise. She added how liberated, and more like herself she felt with the shorter hair. However, people couldn't help but share their opinions as they created jokes and debated whether they liked her short or long hair more. 

Images Courtesy: Anne Hathaway (Getty|Jason Merritt), Jennifer Lawrence (Getty|George Pimentel), Florence Pugh (Getty|Pascal Le Segretain)

Why do we care so much about something so minuscule to life? And why has it sent so many people into a frenzy? The only thing I can think of is that they are intimidated by these women's ability to look good with any hairstyle.

Society has placed such high emphasis on specific beauty standards, and long hair on women has traditionally been associated with femininity and attractiveness. Some people react strongly to a woman cutting her hair as it "deviates from the norms."

Though opinions on these women's new looks varied, it brought attention to the influence of celebrities in establishing trends and upending accepted notions of beauty. Rihanna shocked fans when she attended Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards, displaying a new short bob. However, many women were inspired to try out short haircuts with a similar aesthetic, and following her haircut, hairdressers noticed an increase in demand for pixie cuts and bobs.

Simply by cutting and changing up their hair, these women generated a lot of conversation, showcasing their confidence in making a change without fear of judgment. These women have established themselves as style icons thanks to their openness to experiment with their appearance. 

Beauty standards are being challenged and diversified with more acceptance of varied hair kinds, styles, and lengths. To promote a more inclusive perspective of beauty, it is essential to appreciate diversity and individuality. So, can we please stop associating long hair with femininity!

Strike Out

Morgann Rhule 

Boca Raton

Morgann (yes with 2 n’s) is the Web Director and a content writer for Strike Magazine. Her best friends describe her as a shopaholic bookworm who gives the best advice. Born in Jamaica, she wears it proudly with a beaded red, green, and gold necklace she never takes off. You can reach her on insta @morgannrhule or email morgannrhule@gmail.com