do you believe in the patriarchy?

My mother's in her 60's. Under all her hair dye, we've not seen a grey hair on her head yet.

It's that fear of becoming an "old woman", isn't it? She refuses to be called "Grandmother", "Granny", or anything other than "Nanny" on the basis that "Nanny" can be used for a younger person as well, and grandmothers are "old" woman. Old... It's a repellent. And I don't just mean to her; It's a strong enough repellent to woman that we've built a multi-million pound industry on the back of the fear of becoming "old".

Personal choice Porto ? Maybe they like how they look better with their original hair colour as that is what they are used to seeing in the mirror everyday for 40 odd years.

yy. It IS rare that women don't cover their grey hair, at least before they reach OAP status. So yes - it does convey confidence. Hence -my interest. I would have gone for the Clairol long before that point. So thinking about it from a feminist perspecitve, why? Men don't do that. I know plenty of grey and even bald men the same age as me.

I would have been happy to talk about it if you are talking about it from a feminist perspective - which you are.

Sorry double post, phone not coping with long thread.

Dittany, I will try to my personal opinions on posters to myself but it seems I am not allowed the same courtesy. I have a fairly good idea of what particular posters think of me on here, from their posts. They may pass talk guidelines but they are still fairly direct.

Porto - I understand what you mean. Women in their early 40's who don't die grey hair are as rare as hens teeth ime. They do exist obviously, but not common

Maybe her hair colour had nothing to do with what people took away from hearing her speak... Maybe it was her words, novel idea, I know.

Ecletic - I already said her hair colour made no difference.

I don't know what I am trying to say even. Just that - successful woman, who doesn't do a Deborah Meadon with blonde hair and high heels thing. It made no difference at all to the presentation or the strength of their offer - tis just my idle musing....

Maybe her hair colour had nothing to do with what people took away from hearing her speak... Maybe it was her words, novel idea, I know.

Yes, garlic, maybe they are but children learn primarily from their immediate role models, so there is an opportunity for parents to change those outdated opinions.

Maybe she is taken MORE seriously for having grey hair!

garlic - you are totally right of course. It was a very dull meeting. But I was sat there thinking, now it is the bit of her that refuses to die her hair, the bit that makes her successful? She will be taken seriously in the (quite frankly, VERY) male dominated surroundings because....????

Eclectic - taking your 'technology' post at face value: Surely young women are influenced by social expectations in their choice of subjects? Girls don't do maths, yadda yadda. Boys don't fancy geek girls. All lies, but plenty of folk believe them.

I don't need to report myself thanks, I'm sure people will be doing that for me. Doesn't change my opinion on frothy.

Porto, thays my opinion and many others. Sorry if it winds you up, maybe you should do something about that.

Porto, I'm sure this a thread diversion but am interested in why you were interested? I imagine that, were I that woman, I'd be pretty pissed off with anyone enquiring about my hair colour rather than my products or even chit-chat about how I commute, etc.

No problem dittany. I don't actually report posts on here, but go ahead.

"My answer is that in general women don't want to do it. Either because they haven't been educated about it or because they would rather do something else, there are so many reasons. No one is oppressing them and stopping them."

You really haven't though about this from a feminist perspective at all!

No-one is stopping them, indeed. What about the other stuff? You are sounding less and less like a feminist and more like someone on the wind up.

Actually, I did several days of vendors presenting on a project. 20 people in the room. For 3 of the days, I was the only woman. On the 4th, there was ONE woman from the vendor side. About the same age as me, early 40s. Highly professional.

I noted that she had not dyed her grey hair. I hasten to add that this had no affect on her professionalism or the way she was perceived/treated in the meeting - in fact it was irrelevant as far as the meeting went. It was just interesting to me. That she had not gone the route many, many women do when they start to get grey hair - by covering it up. And I was longing to talk to her about it, and the issues of being professional and not succumbing to the "accepted" view of women in the workplace.... And now I sound sad but I hope someone understands what I am getting at....