Take It All Off!

As I was watching a preview for Les Miserables where Anne Hathaway is being shaved bald something dawned on me yesterday. The stigma attached to being bald is rapidly disappearing. That’s not to say that there aren’t still people who are uncomfortable with hair loss…but overall, these days it’s becoming more and more acceptable.

I remember going to church and seeing little old men in bad toupees where you could see the line at the back of the head where the rug began. Never did it look natural, yet people would wear them rather than acknowledge that they were folically challenged. This was also the way it was walking around the street, out to dinner or at a mall. You knew there was a cause for concern when small children would just stop and stare…sometimes even point!

The only thing that was worse than baldness were comb overs. I don’t care how pretty your face is…a comb over is unattractive on everyone. No one is capable of making it look good…it doesn’t matter how strong the lenses are on your rose colored glasses.

In fact, growing up the stigma around baldness was so strong that shaving her head was considered a contributor to the beginning of the end of Sinead O’Connor’s career. Granted, it wasn’t the ONLY thing…her mouth usually got her into pretty big trouble, too. (Personally I think she was just a tad before her time….she is tame compared to Gaga) Then there was Pro-Wrestling…Baldness was considered so horrible that they created Hair v. Hair matches. The character of Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake built his name on tormenting people with his shears, putting them in a sleeper hold and cutting their hair. In fact, most of the time you would only see people walking around bald in public was if you were going through chemo. Nearly everyone else hid it!

So when did being bald suddenly gain some cool factor? Oddly enough, I think it started when the song Skin by Rascall Flatts became a runaway hit on the country music charts…

There was a poignant moment in the end that touched hearts with the show of solidarity in the gesture her boyfriend made for her. It was touchingly sweet and romantic. It was undeniably warm and generous.

And then when you started to look around, action stars like Vin Diesel and Jason Statham and The Rock started gaining in popularity. Bruce Willis went bald completely. And women like me found themselves drooling over guys like Shemar Moore! I mean, look at him! What is not to love???

And as if that wasn’t enough to convince you that bald is becoming the new cool, then people like Kelly Pickler showing her childhood friend support and shaving her head in solidarity as her friend faces off against breast cancer. Or the two Colt cheerleaders who shaved their heads in support of coach Pagano after they raised over $10,000 toward cancer research.

All of this is awesome! So much better than toupees and comb overs! So if you’re a man and your hair is starting to thin or recede…please take note! If Michael Jordan could do it, why not you? Haven’t you noticed? Bald is the new Beautiful!

What do you guys think? Any other trends that used to have stigmas that are now considered cool?

I’ll be honest, I’m still waiting for real sized women to be considered sexy and cool. As someone who’s been both on the skinny side and the more reubenesque side of the spectrum I’ve been lucky. I have never questioned or struggled with my appeal regardless of what size I am. Unfortunately, I know I’m not the norm… Maybe one day…