Hair Rules - example in Jamaican and in English school

In every culture and society, some things you are socially and culturally allowed to do with your hair, and other things you are not. These rules are not always explicit, but in workplaces and schools they are sometimes part of the internal regulations.

Here the link (click) to an article from the Jamaican writer Kei Miller's blog, about a controversy in a Jamaican school (2016), explaining why, in the particular context of Jamaica, it is more that just a haircut we are talking about: Yes, this is about slavery and its long legacy. It is about a full emancipation that has been so desperately long in coming. 
Read also Corey Hairstory (click)  about natural hair at school and the difference of reception between a Jamaican school and New York one.

In 2018, a court decision in Jamaica clears the way for dreadlocked child to start school (links here).

(Photo from Kei Miller's blog)

And here the link (click) to an article about haircuts that are not allowed in different schools in England (2017 - with a remember of olds days:

Aged 17, David Bowie campaigned for long-haired boys rights in his Brixton Schoolboy (photo Getty)

Hair Sculptor: Laetitia Ky

Laetitia Ky (Ivory Coast) transform hair in masterpieces speaking about body positivity, gender equality, environment, gun violence,... and celebrating African heritage.
A short video about her work here
(image from Laetitia Ky Instagram)

I-D's Hair Week: 60's articles about Hair !

I-D present her Hair Week like “an exploration of how our hairstyles start conversations about identity, culture and the times we live in”. 

Yes! 

They do the job of this blog, speaking about gender, races, identity, culture through songs, films, music, video, art, hair stories… from around the world (mainly western)

You can consult all the articles here on their Website but here already a few links among the sixty articles

Willow Smith - "Whip My Hair

Art: Icelandic artist and Björk collaborator Shoplifter has a hair fetish

Movie: 10 iconic hair moments from movie history

Music: 5 empowering hair anthems for defying the haters

Gender: Rose Mcgowan on why going bald is the ultimate feminist battle cry

Science: What is Hair? 

Hair Story from Véronique

I discovered my first strands of white hair when I was 27. I have dark hair, so they were really visible. I have pulled them out, one by one. Now there are too many of them to continue this process. Some of my friends “suggest” me to dye my hair, because they think the white strands are ugly and are making me look older. It seems that becoming older is not fashionable at all. I’m 42 years young/old now and still haven't dyed my hair, hoping it will turn grey completely, or, even better, bright white at once, skipping the grey intermediate steps ... 

Veronique, 42, Female, Europe

#SocialPressure #WhiteHair

Hair Story from Royane

My hair is gray and right now it is almost down to my shoulders but not really by choice. I have been in Italy this time for 3 months and don't want to try and explain to an Italian hair dresser how I want my hair cut.
When I was in my early 20's a patch of white hair began to show in a streak on the right side of a middle part. My grandmother had the same white streak as long as I can remember. I didn't mind it. I didn't dye my hair until I was in my 40's but only because I wanted a change. What a huge expense and a lot of bother . The white streak would begin to show in about a week...so I was constantly needed to color it. So I stopped, cold turkey. Now living in Italy I see elderly women in their 70's 80's maybe older with red hair or coal black hair and when they pass me on the street they look up at me in horror. It is not a common sight here. But all I see the faces of these women are faces lined with age like mine that stand out sharply against their unnatural hair color. The hair color does nothing to make them look younger... they just look their age with unattractive hair. 

Royane, 71, Female, Italy-US 

#SocialPressure #Identity
#WhiteHair #Dye 

Hair Story from Neila

For at least 22 years I have shaved my head, scraped off my 'good, curly, mixed-people hair' down to the scalp, with no more than 1/2 inch of fuzz left. It is glorious and freeing everytime. With every haircut I release the societal pressures for long, straight hair which equals maximum 'feminine' power and I reject expectations of me as a mixed heritage girl, to play my 'hair privilege' card. It is easy and gives me a different sense of self and confidence. I dance differently, with greater abandon and swear my sense receptors open also. Spiritually, my head becomes like an antenna and I have to box away hands from randomly touching my spiritual seal. My hair story changes, though, when I miss movement and rhythm around my head, the vibrancy of my curls (which I did not always appreciate, having been taught to envy the white girl straight hair which seemed to signal the ultimate freedom), the militancy, individuality and rebelliousness of my locs, the urban funkiness of hair colour, braids, canerows and my signature mohawk. For a while, I grow it and experiment with this acceptance and celebration of self, knowing that when I need a clearing, a reset, a newness, I will pull out my shears and bless myself with a new head. 

Neila, 30's, Female, Jamaica

#Identity #SocialPressure #Gender #Culture #HairReset

Hair Story by Nicole: Be careful not to let the pendulum swing the other way

I've had long hair and short hair, natural and processed, coloured and not  

coloured. Right now my hair is relaxed and that's the way I like it... for  

now. I don't believe there's just one hairstyle per person. Natural hair is  

fashionable now... again.... and that's great. But sometimes I feel judged  

because I've chosen to go against what's in vogue now and relax my hair. I  

think that the reason a lot of women are choosing to go natural is because  

they don't want society to dictate to them what's acceptable. But at the  

same time, we should be careful not to let the pendulum swing the other  

way. We should all be free to choose what we prefer and if that's to  

process your own hair, then so be it.

Nicole, ?, Female, Jamaica

#NaturalHair #Relaxer

#SocialPressure

Hair Story by Courtney: It took a while for people to accept it

When I was about 13 I had my naturally kinky hair straightened to make it easier for me to manage on my own. At about 16 I decided to grow my hair out and cut off my processed hair. This process taught me to be strong in my choices and my standards of beauty for myself because I got comments from so many people, young and old, about why it would be a bad idea to transition back to my natural hair. After I cut off all the straight hair it took a while for people to accept it, but I learnt that if you act like something belongs for long enough, people will either start to believe it belongs too, or get lazy trying to convince you that it doesn’t. My fro feels like a part of me now.

Courntey, 21, Female, Jamaica

#SocialPressure #Resistance #Patience #Confidence

#NaturalHair #Afro

#StandardOfBeauty

Hair Story by Jason: Doctors are not allowed to express themselves

I decided to grow my hair out in the 2nd year of medical school. I didn’t realise how having African hair in line rows (*) would draw such negative attention among my peers. Doctors are not allowed to express themselves. 

We conform to traditional societal views.

Jason, 25, Male, Barbados 

#SocialPressureWork #Gender 

#LongHairForMen

(*) not sure of the transcription for these words

Hair Story by Carol-Anne: Disowning

My dad said if we ever colour our hair, he would disown us. My sister reminded me of this about a decade ago.

Carol-Anne, 34, Female, Jamaica / USA

#SocialPressureFamily

#dye

Hair Story by Karl: Archaic stereotypes must die out

Growing up I was allowed to grow my hair slightly but high school rules prevented this & I had to cut it down to 1 inche for 7 years, whilst other groups (Asians & Indians) were allowed to keep their hair at much greater lengths. After high school I’ve grown my hair out and cut it several times, but always of my volution to many mixed reactions. Curly, unrully, wild, fluffy are among the terms I hear. Within the family is where I get the most opposition, but professionally it’s never hindered me, and now it grow it out of love and to show I can work with or without it. Archaic stereotypes must die out.

Karl, Male, Jamaica

#SocialPressureSchool #SocialPressureFamily #Stereotype #SchoolRules

#SchoolRules #DifferentOriginDifferentRules

#Gender #LongHairForMale

#ArchaicStereotypesMustDieOut

Hair Story by Nicole: be careful not to let the pendulum swing the other way

I've had long hair and short hair, natural and processed, coloured and not  

coloured. Right now my hair is relaxed and that's the way I like it... for  

now. I don't believe there's just one hairstyle per person. Natural hair is  

fashionable now... again.... and that's great. But sometimes I feel judged  

because I've chosen to go against what's in vogue now and relax my hair. I  

think that the reason a lot of women are choosing to go natural is because  

they don't want society to dictate to them what's acceptable. But at the  

same time, we should be careful not to let the pendulum swing the other  

way. We should all be free to choose what we prefer and if that's to  

process your own hair, then so be it.

Nicole, ?, Female, Jamaica

#NaturalHair #Relaxer

#SocialPressure

Hair Story: I refuse to relax my hair to conform to their standard of beauty

So I always loved my natural hair but my maternal family didn’t as it wasn’t straight or jet black like theirs as our family is of a mixed ethnic background. For years they teased me about it and kept telling me I’ll never be beautiful as my hair was nappy. Years later I relaxed, well my mother did, she didn’t know how to cope with my “nappy” hair and despite it all, I still didn’t feel proud about it. I felt as it I was betraying myself by keeping it relaxed. So here I am natural again still getting side glances from from my family because of my hair but I don’t care as I’m proud of my blackness and I refuse to relax my hair to conform to their standard of beauty.

K., 23, Female, Jamaica

#SocialPressureFamily #StandardOfBeauty

#NaturalHair #Pride

Hair Story: it was crucifixion...

So I always wanted to grow my hair. Finally got the chance when I went on my own to “college”. However came back home and gosh it was crucifixion. You know how tradition is!

But I’m still rocking it… It’s kinda nappy right now… Jah Rastafari !!!

I love my look tho ;-)

X, Male

#SocialPressureFamily

#LongHairForMen

Hair Story by Erica

My hair is natural but I like to straighten it and wear weave.

My hair grows bushy. When it gets too big, I am told it looks “unprofessional” and people stare when I walk so I straighten it.

I wonder if I like it straight because of my own will or subconsciously realising people’s perspective of it.

Erica, ?, Female, USA

#SocialPressureWork

#NaturalHair #Relaxer #Straight

Hair Story by Kemar: my hair had actually more status than I taught

Over the years the style of my hair changed as to what the norm @ the time, new friend or what appealed to my individuality. The older I got, I realized that my hair had actually more status than I taught, as the more I looked Indian, the difference I was treated, had to cut it due being in a managerial role as to lead by example as expected of leaders. Miss my hair.

Kemar, 34, Male, Jamaica

#SocialPressureWork 

#HairSpeaks

Hair Story by Kay: My natural hair and my family

I always had long relaxed hair. I decided to cut it a couple months ago and go back natural. My beloved Granny and my mother actually stopped speaking to me because it was their belief that “hair is beauty”. I refused to believe that I was no longer beautiful. Even to them. This created a gap that I constantly try to fill with them. I love them but I love my happiness more. Is that selfish?

Kay, 24, Female, Jamaica

#SocialPressureFamily

#NaturalHair

Hair Story by Michail

I started growing my hair for college but I was forced to cut it because of religion and my parents. I want to colour my hair but I live in constant fear of being labelled a homosexual. I am open with my sexuality - but I still fear death.

Currently I’m growing my hair again.

Let’s see how this goes.

Michail, 19, Male, Jamaica-Barbados

#SocialPressureFamily #Gender #Religion

#LongHairForMen #Colour

Hair Story from Paul: dreadlocks as a symbol of reconciliation with my own desire ...

I always wanted to have longer hair but never have the courage to do it because of the fear not to be socially fully accepted.

Recently I decided to let it grow and aim at to have dread locks as a symbol of courage, rebellion but as well reconciliation with my own desire.

Paul-Emile, 28, Male, Haiti

#Gender #Stereotype #SocialPressure #Symbole

#LongHairForMen #Dreadlocks

Hair Story by Y.

Every institution wants me to cut it and I cant understand why.

Y., 18, Male, Jamaica

#Social Pressure