It was the night of 31st January 2021 and I was in my pajamas, reading and stroking my hair casually. As usual, the comforting and relaxing stroke turned out to be a frustrating one for I could see a bunch of hair accompany it. That was the moment of decision for me - I walked into the bathroom, took a razor and shaved my head clean. For years now, sports and traveling have been an intrinsic part of my life. But I had been participating in them with no concept of hair or skin care. This resulted in me having really damaged hair which eventually lead to major hair fall. Soon, this apparently visible 'issue' became the only topic of conversation I would have with people around me. Conversations turned into criticism and soon into a topic of banter of how I would soon have a bald spot or how I wouldn't find a guy to marry. Not only did I get unsolicited advice from people in my family but also from people who were complete strangers. The advice came in all forms of suggestions of how I could follow diy hair care routines and undergo some 'recommended' medical hair treatments. Before I knew it, it became a source of insecurity and overtook my mind. I thus started taking homeopathic pills, underwent ayurvedic treatments and spent a heap of money on treating the balding scalp. There came a point where I gave it so much importance that my mood and mental health were controlled by how my hair looked.
One day, I had this moment when I realised how I am not ok with the insecurities controlling me and wanted to lighten this burden. I thought it'd also be fun to just experiment with myself on how well I'll be able to carry the shaved look. After debating internally for weeks, using the onset of the new year 2021 as an excuse, I took the step to cut off my insecurity. Until I posted a picture of me bald, I didn't know what kind of impact it had on others. No exaggeration, there were 100s of people who reached out to me applauding my move. Some shared their stories while others looked up to me wanting to gather some courage to make the Bald Move. Every inch of fresh hair that grew on my scalp brought my lost self confidence back. It made me realise how important having a positive outlook on your hair was. Not only did I win the internal mental and emotional battles, but also the battle with the social construct of stereotypimg feminine and masculine hair and how the quality and quantity of hair defined a person. The other day, my mother made this really simple yet powerful statement which hit me. She said, 'why should one bother about their hair so much when it is just as significant as the growth of one's nails!' So cheers to creating awareness on hair positivity, making some bald moves and breaking stereotypes and glass ceilings 🕊️
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