A “Hair-Raising” Perspective

In a time where it feels like the world is burning around us, it feels difficult to breathe. Like every choice that is made is going to be scrutinized to the point of irredeemability. You cannot be a woman, cannot be queer, cannot be a person of color, cannot be an immigrant without being told that there is something wrong with you. When I originally conceived this article (before election day, mind you), I wanted to write about how different cultures treat their hair. But, as I sat down and started writing, all I could think about was how angry I was. Angry at the women who voted against their rights, angry at the men who can’t even pretend to care about their mothers, wives, and daughters. Angry at the people who say that it's ok to be queer, so long as you don’t do it in front of them.

I have always tried to live my life in a way that makes me happy, but that is not always possible. People want me dead for being trans, other people think I worship Satan because I listen to emo music, and others think that I will never get a “real” job because I have facial piercings. Every little thing I do is scrutinized by people who have never once cared about me, yet think they should have control over my life.

I love dying my hair, but some people view that as a problem that needs to be corrected. It sounds stupid and trite to think about something so simple in such aggressive terms, but it's just the surface of a larger issue. To me, dying my hair is a form of protest, of personalization and declaration of who I am and what I stand for. I dye my hair because it's fun, but I also dye my hair because it makes people uncomfortable. Something I have noticed about the queer community is that we will do anything to make those who hate us uncomfortable.

For some queer people, it's as small and simple as wearing a pronoun pin, while for others, we make our entire being a walking, talking protest. I have been dying my hair since I was in 6th grade, and while I have faced plenty of ridicule for it, I know that it not only makes me stand out, it often challenges people to see beyond their perception of me. When people see my bright orange hair and facial piercings, they often assume that I am headed for the gutter. Then, I get to tell them that I work in a high end fashion store and I will be graduating college with honors, and I am not the only queer person who lives like this. I– and many others like me– will not go down without a fight. In a world where people have voted to take away my rights– and the rights of pretty much every other marginalized group– it is more important than ever to stand out, to be yourself, and to never back down. It may seem stupid to some people to hinge this all on hair. It may seem like we are overreacting. But those people are not the ones facing down the barrel of a gun. I will cut and dye my hair until I am 90 if I have to, and not only because I enjoy it. I will continue to make those around me as uncomfortable as they have made me. If I am not allowed to be trans– which is the direction this country seems to want to go in– then I will dye my hair the most unnatural color and be proud of it. If my community is going to be erased, I am going to fight back, even if it is only with hair dye and scissors. I think Gerard Way said it best: “in the face of extermination, say fuck you” and if my “fuck you” is a purple mullet, then so be it.

Strike Out,

E Dunsmuir

Editor: Maya Kayyal

Saint Augustine

E Dunsmuir (he/they) is a writer for Strike St. Augustine. He loves Victorian England, emo music, and anything to do with horror. When they're not writing for Strike, he’s probably texting his boyfriend or watching TV with their roommates. You can reach him at edunsmuir66@gmail.com or @edunsmuir66 on most social media platforms.

A “Hair-Raising” Perspective

Notes Of Nostalgia