Ayanna Pressley Reveals She Has No Hair

[comradebillyboy]

https://theglowup.theroot.com/exclusive-rep-ayanna-pressley-reveals-beautiful-bald-1841039847

I am posting this because I also have alopecia and have a great deal of sympathy for her situation. My hair all fell out over 20 years ago. So kudos to Rep, Pressley for sharing this with us.

[Ohiogal]

1. She's very brave, indeed

I lost all my hair from chemotherapy 12 years ago....thankfully mine came back. It’s very traumatic especially for a woman. I salute Rep. Presley for bringing awareness to this topic and wish her all the best. She looks great.

[hlthe2b]

2. Good for her. She is beautiful with or without hair.

Alopecia occurs for a lot of reasons--some more treatable than others. While I recognize that there are unique issues among black women, it is true that extensions, tight braids, and even tight ponytails can lead to hair loss in women of all races.

We are all much more than our outward appearances, but I applaud her honesty.

[calimary]

8. Yep! Absolutely!

[George II]

3. Proud, brave woman, IMPRESSIVE woman!

[lunatica]

4. That was a genuinely wonderful video

Very liberating and surprisingly soothing. Her wig looked like it was her real hair so it’s obvious she didn’t need to go public with her condition. She’s a woman of principle and that means everything! We are so lucky to have her representing us!

Thank you for sharing this and your own situation.

[Green Line]

5. She's beautiful with or without hair

[cab67]

12. couldn't agree more.

[get the red out]

6. Strong lady

I am so glad young girls these days have some incredible role models.

[Gothmog]

7. I really admire and like Congresswoman Pressleey

[progressoid]

9. K/R

...speechless...

[peggysue2]

10. That's a brave thing to do

Though she is a beautiful woman either way, I think most women would readily identify with this, how difficult the adjustment must be, how much moxie it takes to do a reveal like this.

Brave and poignant. to her.

[Raine]

11. That's courageous nt

[NurseJackie]

13. "... Find JOY in options!"

"... Find JOY in options!" Yes!

[aikoaiko]

14. Very compelling story.

[ehrnst]

15. I think she's really underrated as a freshman Congressional Rep.

Right up there with Katie Porter, Debra Haaland, and Sharice Davids.

Doing the grinding work of the job, and not seeking the spotlight.

[SunSeeker]

16. Ricki Lake also recently revealed she has no hair.

https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/a30382364/ricki-lake-hair-loss-instagram/

I hope with more women stepping forward that this becomes no more a stigma for women than it is for men.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

17. I wonder if she knows about

the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. It's an amazing organization. My older son lost his hair when he was four years old, his younger brother at the age of ten. Both wound up with the most extreme form, alopecia areata universalis, meaning neither one has any hair whatsover.

We used to go to their conferences, but as they reached adulthood they no longer were interested in attending.

Here's a link to the NAAF website. https://www.naaf.org/

Added on edit: I see she does know about NAAF.

[SunSeeker]

18. I imagine that is because bald men are considered normal in society, unlike bald boys and women. nt

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

19. Honestly, I think it was that they both lost their hair young enough

that by the time each was 18 or so it was as normal as the fact they had brown eyes. And perhaps they associated the conferences with being little kids.

I will say it was very interesting being the mother of two totally bald boys, especially as they were both small for their ages. People understandably assume a bald kids has cancer. I'd be out in public with them, and I'd see people noticing them, and then I could see them thinking, "OH! That poor woman! Two of them!" I'd usually start smiling and almost giggling, because not only did they not have cancer, they were both extremely healthy all around. And then I could see the person thinking, "And she handles it so well!"

There really were any number of amusing things connected to the alopecia.

[SunSeeker]

21. Well, as a woman who lost her hair during chemotherapy, I found very little amusing about it.

The men in the chemo ward simply did not have the same stigma, or damage to self esteem, as the women did. Indeed, bald men are often considered strong and virile, like the Rock. Even the male reporters copy his look:

I remember my doctor told me one of her female breast cancer patients refused chemo because she did not want to lose her hair. She later died after it predictably metastasized.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

23. I am not making fun of cancer, or the hair loss from chemotherapy.

I do not find that at all amusing.

But my young sons were bald from alopecia, and there were any number of amusing incidents with them. I very much want to apologize to you if what I said in any way seemed insensitive.

It is truly, truly sad that someone would refuse chemo because of the hair loss.

I will add this. That I would get very irritated when people would tell me it was okay that my sons were bald because so many men shave their heads. Well, the shavers can grow their hair back. My sons never have. And then I remember that people are trying to be helpful and sympathetic with their comments, and try not to be grumpy to them.

[brer cat]

20. That is a very courageous woman.

I hope she realizes what a wonderful role model she is.

[Nitram]

22. I have a friend with the same syndrome. She wears some beautiful turbans.