Taboo Subject

[qwlauren35]

I realize that it's politically incorrect to talk about Hillary's hair, but when I think about the many photos of her over the years, I am struck by the times when she wears long hair. When she was at the Rose Law Firm and on the Walmart board, when she was Senator... and I think to myself, it is a brave, in-your-face statement that she can be feminine and powerful. So many of us cut our hair when we move into the upper echelons of power. It is a bowing to the idea that we will be taken more seriously. And in fact, less feminine. Not so, Hillary. She is confident in her power.

Right now, she is wearing her hair short, but it would be very amusing if she grew it out in the Oval Office.

[JonathanRackham]

1. Isn't criticism of a woman's hair a bit sexist?

A politician is about the content of their character.

[qwlauren35]

4. But that's just it, it's not a criticism.

A woman's hair is a statement of who you are and how much you want to conform to a certain image. Hillary, with her long hair, has constantly said "I'm a woman. Deal with it."

I think to not notice her hair is an attempt to be politically correct, when in fact, a woman's hair is VERY important.

A man's hair is less important, but you won't see many long haired male lawyers with pony tails. You don't see any black male Senators or representatives with dreadlocks. Frequently you can identify ex-military men by their incredibly short hair cuts.


It's a lot like the men who called Sarah Palin a MILF. Derogatory term, politically incorrect. But, to pretend that Palin didn't capitalize on her looks is crap.

[JonathanRackham]

16. My vote is not cast based upon gender, race, religion etc.

Leadership.

[democrattotheend]

5. Is it sexist for me to say that I'll be excited to have a president who wears bright colored suits?

After 200 years of male presidents in the same colored suits I will be excited to have a president who wears bright colors. I don't think that makes me sexist. I am also a professional woman who likes to wear bright colored suits and I am hoping that when Hillary becomes president she will make it less taboo for women lawyers to wear bright colored suits. She already made it more acceptable to wear pantsuits and tights back when she was first lady, and for that alone I am grateful.

[qwlauren35]

7. Sick of navy blue?

[democrattotheend]

10. Nah, but I like bright blue better

Like the color of the suit she wore the night she joined Obama on stage at the convention.

[Travis_0004]

20. Because nobody on this board has ever mentioned donald trumps hair. . . ..

[JonathanRackham]

23. He's thin between the ears.

[synergie]

31. Both inside and outside :-)

[Bucky]

2. Mullet, no. Bouffant? YES!!

Bring back the beehive, I say. And fancy cocktail parties too.

[MineralMan]

3. I think she should do as she pleases with her hair.

It's not for any of us to advise her on that. She's quite capable of making such decisions without our help.

[qwlauren35]

6. But that's just it.

It is the fact that she did what she pleased with her hair that is a testimony to her power. Most professional women would not dare wear long hair. But Hillary did.

[MineralMan]

9. Then perhaps you should trust her now, too.

Unless, of course, you're an expert on hair styles for presidential candidates. If you are, please accept my abject apologies.

If that is the case, you might want to email her campaign with your professional advice.

[qwlauren35]

11. I think you really aren't getting what I'm saying.

Hillary has been a trailblazer in how she dresses and how she wears her hair.

I think perhaps the women here recognize this, because they recognize the guts it takes to wear long hair in a professional environment.

[MineralMan]

14. I see. She has done pretty well in

making her own decisions, don't you think? How are you doing? I'm going to just trust her judgment on this, if it's OK with you...

[JustAnotherGen]

12. She's not attacking HRC

My mom is one who grew it out a few years ago when she retired from a VP position with a hotel management company. She's HRC's age.

Note her "career path". See above.

There was pressure in corporate America in their era when they rose that shorter hair was considered "leadership" material.

Here's an example - the movie Working Girl. What was key to Tess' transformation? "Serious Hair". She chopped it off.

[qwlauren35]

22. Hmmm.

I wonder if it's an age thing. I am 52 and there was an unwritten rule that if you wanted to be taken seriously, you cut your hair. It may be that this is not required anymore.

I sense that virtually NONE of the men here understand what women went through to be accepted in professional circles, and that part of it was a certain look.

And that's why they don't understand when I say that Hillary defied convention.

I am tempted to create a poll to demonstrate that women get this and men do not.

But it's late, I'm tired and feeling very alone.

So thank you for speaking up in my defense.

Thank you again, and again, and again.

[JonathanRackham]

8. Bingo

Thank you.

[dylb]

27. reply

agreed

[JustAnotherGen]

13. I get it!

Where I work? We wear our hair long.

I notice we also have a lot of what I call Amish beards among our male peers now.

And yes - her hair is her hair to do with as she pleases . . . But if she grows it out - I'd be cool with that. I'd also like it if Bill grew an Amish Beard!

[bettyellen]

15. Weird sexist crap. It's fine, it's inoffensive and much easier to care for....

Silly to think she would not get attacked for vanity silliness due to a dramatic change.

[whistler162]

17. I will agree with you IF

she gets a number 1 before she is sworn in! <SARCASM>

[ram2008]

18. I agee; I think this was my favorite hairstyle of hers:

[img][/img]

Right after she had finished her stint as SOS, she interviewed with Barbara Walters and her hair looked so elegant.

Projects an image of strength, grace, and wisdom, while not as sharp as her the other shorter cuts, I think it fit well with her personality and her face. And no it's not sexist to point out that certain haircuts look better on men and women.

I bet it's probably a pain to get it in that style and keep it that way which is why she doesn't do it all the time. Shorter is easier to manage.

[rusty fender]

30. Jeebus

Are you for real?

[synergie]

32. Doubtful. Apparently she hasn't been in the world in the past couple of decades

when the obesity epidemic has been literally center stage, nor has she traveled anywhere in the world, where anyone with functional senses can see that obesity is a worldwide epidemic in quite a lot of countries.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

21. My take on her hair is this:

I think her hair grows very fast, faster than most people's, and for a long time it was simply easier to keep it long, rather than trying to maintain a shorter length.

However, most older women don't look very good in long hair, unless they do it up in some way. And in recent years, when her hair has gotten longer, it's just not at all attractive. So Hillary has simply bowed to time and reality, and maintains a shorter do.

I know there's a double standard about looks. Women in any sort of public life are expected to keep looking just as they did at 25 or 30. It's ridiculous. Hillary Clinton looks her age. It shouldn't matter to anyone, but there you have it.

[tandem5]

24. After reading some of the replies I feel your pain...

Take heart I understand what you're saying and it's far from a taboo.

[qwlauren35]

25. Thank you.

I really appreciate it.

[NCTraveler]

26. I would be interested to know the level of planning...

Over her career. How little or great of an effort, reasons behind fashion decisions, and things of the sort.

[vlyons]

28. Her hair grows long because

she's too busy to get to a salon for a hair cut

[qwlauren35]

29. Maybe...

I remember Condoleeza Rice talking about this. She tried to pick a style which would suit her traveling schedule.