AIBU for confronting a stranger criticising my appearance?

[MarbleFox]

I left work late today, missing the bus I normally catch by a couple of minutes. This meant waiting half an hour for the next one. At the bus stop there were two women, roughly my age(20) and as I approached I heard one say to the other, "Oh my God, look at the state of her hair". My hairs currently a silver/lilac shade, it's been bright purple, blue and pink so I'm used to getting the occasional comment and stare. I shrugged the comment off as I normally do but for the next 25 minutes as I waited for the bus the comments continued. Criticising my hair, clothes and general appearance while sniggering while I'm obviously in earshot. I eventually snapped and said, "Sorry but what's the problem?" Neither replied so I said, "You really shouldn't mutter horrible things about people you don't know", to which one said she wasn't talking about me. She definitely was.

I know it's daft to let this bother me and I know they were out of order but should I have ignored them? Or was responding the right thing to do? I'm normally very shy and meek so this was out of character for me.

I've coloured my hair all the colours in the rainbow in my time...how ever I do agree that to get precious about people commenting negatively about it is a little precious - doesn't mean they aren't rude, of course they are. But if you want to look 'different' then ffs get a thicker skin.

My son used to get upset at the snotty way my mum talked about his hair and my reply would be "son, you are a teenager - if your grandma approves of your haircut then you have the wrong haircut"

Do you get what I mean?

Dammit I used precious twice!

normal hair that god gave you? are you for real Dirty, you look because god gave you eyes, nothing to do with evolution then? hahahaha

fox might be able to change her hair colour but sadly, to quote Bronn there's no cure for being a cunt.

YANBU. Of course you should be able to have your hair whatever colour you like. What difference does it make to anyone else? There's no need for anyone to be rude. They should just accept that we all have different tastes.

I can't help wondering how some of the goadyfuckers know when to draw the line when it comes to taking about people who are different to them.

Pink hair, silver hair, dark hair, ginger hair, very short hair, very long hair, big black frizzy hair, people with alopiacia, a hijab, a turban, a shaved head, a deformed head, a man wearing a flamboyant hat.

I wonder which is normal or acceptable in their cul-de-sacs?

Vintage45, I have the right to have my own beliefs. Are you being discriminatory now?

I see where you're coming from Nobodyspecial and I'll be keeping that in mind in future, I don't think it's something I'd make a habit of anyway but you never know do you?
I've never been in any sort of physical fight apart from spats with my sister when we were younger so I'd be pretty useless at defending myself

Harriet God is fictional as far as I'm concerned, whereas my purple hair is real and here to stay. Grow up.

These people were arseholes OP and don't let any of these stupid twats on here that defend rude ignorance make you think any difference. How small minded.

The OP plays the hair colour discrimination card, why shouldn't I play the religious discrimination card?

I normally flight

Off you go then.

I wonder where Harriet stands on other people who look a bit different? Like I did when a lot of my hair fell out due to illness.

Harriet's just looking for an argument. OP ignore her.

Or him...

marble It's was to say what if after the event. I wouldn't dwell on it, you stuck up for yourself and didn't get a black eye, I agree with pp that you need to be cautious though. Some people will turn violent given an excuse.

Just be careful, Fox!
I'm sure it felt great, but you really do never know.
I'd love to try pastel colors, but I'm sure I'm too old to look cool...I think it would look like I had gone for a blue rinse!

It's was to say??? Its easy to say! Bloody autocorrect.

By the way - I look different than most people. And when I hear comments, I don't get offended. In the end of the day, I do own a mirror and a pair of eyes to see it's the truth. So when I hear someone complain about self-inflicted comments, I can't help but point it out. Get a mirror, OP. Check out what you see there. Next time you hear comments, don't get offended, if they describe what you saw. Why should you???

It's OK Harriet you are shining example of how well we should tolerate people with a narrow and bigoted set of values.

Sorry meant to add " but for some posters there's no cure..."

silver I was thinking that myself. I'm the only person of colour in my rural NI village. Does that single me out and make me a target for comments because I'm an oddity?

Good for you op.

What does it matter what she was wearing!

Some people are just plain ride, shallow and mistakenly think they can say what they like. They should not. Well done for questioning them.

Thanks Nobody and Lois, sound advice
I'd say go for it! I think they look lovely on everyone. The great thing about pastels is if they turn out wrong or if you don't like the colour it's very easy to stick a box dye over the top.

Harriet must lead a very boring life if she cares so much about the way other people look.

This is why I love MM. For every poster who's a bit goady and nasty there are 100 who are supportive and lovely

Rude not ride!

Get a mirror, OP. Check out what you see there. Next time you hear comments, don't get offended, if they describe what you saw.

Since when is "Oh my God, look at the state of her hair" simply a description of what someone saw? A description would be "There's a woman with lilac hair". Even then, it's not good manners to comment on someone's appearance unless you are speaking to them directly and giving them a compliment.