Do you consider your long hair countercultural?

[MadelineMomo]

Countercultural, different than the norm, whatever you want to call it.

And secondly, does that matter to you?

[Hairkay]

The norm for me is any hair length you've got so that countercultural word has no meaning for me.

[lapushka]

Countercultural? Say what!? I'm terribly sorry, but I don't "get" it.

[Elliandra]

Yes I do. I consider it to be making a stand against quite a few socially acceptable behaviours for women (probably for men too, but I'm a woman, so that's what I see). Like, must have hair no longer than BSL, must visit a hairdresser every 6 weeks, must dye roots, must not have grey hair under the age of 70(ISH? I'm not sure what the socially acceptable age for grey hair in women is, but it's not my age!), must have the same colour of hair through its length (or no roots showing).

They're really feminist issue for me, which are counter culture, and I'm glad to be holding my little stand. Even if I'm the only one who realises!

[EdG]

I say that long hair cannot be commercialized.

Long hair is as individual as the person. It cannot be reduced to something one buys. This is why we never see long hair in mainstream media.
Ed

[0xalis]

Yes, I see growing my hair long and natural as an act of rebellion against beauty standards and capitalism. I viewed my buzzcut in much the same way though! Two sides of the same coin...

It feels like we only ever see long hair in the media when it's purchased hair.
Ariana Grande is a great example. "You like my hair? Jee thanks, just bought it." Lyrics in a song unironically praising wealth and frivolous spending. Anything she wants she can simply buy, including her dream hair.

[bokeh]

Sure! It’s great to finally say, “I don’t care what anyone thinks” and then demonstrate it with my long grey hair.

[KokoroDragon]

I don't view my long hair as counter cultural. For me, it's a matter of what I'm most comfortable with, and I love how it feels to have long hair. I can see why others would view it as counter cultural though.

[MadelineMomo]

I say that long hair cannot be commercialized.

I think I understand what you're saying, but I'm suspect long hair totally could be commercialized, if society turned that way. I'm sure most of this website could easily be talked into buying a new hair-stick.

More likely it would trend toward the illusion of long hair—extension, wigs, etc. In times when long hair was more the norm, they's use horse hair and hair-rats to plump up updos. Expensive hair masks, or in-salon treatments. "Our serum will allow you to fry the hell out of your hair and still have it be strong!" Endless variations on "fixing" the texture of your hair to be more some-other-texture. I think of the makeup industry, and how they've decided that having pores is bad, and the endless way they've been able to turn this into something you can sell.

I always say that I think LHC is a different approach to hair more than it is a different length of hair. I think there is some relationship between our non-commercial hair mindset, and the physical realities of long hair. But I don't think they're inextricably tied, and I wouldn't put it past capitalism to figure out how to commercialize long hair.

[HaMalka]

I don't see my hair as counter-cultural, because that has connotations of a movement and ideologies and a way of life. My long hair is not what is typical among the prevailing culture (or anyone) but it is simply hair and is not tied to anything that would make me consider it counter-cultural.