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AIBU?

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Original poster

Do you care what colour hair your midwife has?

223 replies

Purplekaz08 · 20/12/2018 15:39

I have seen on the news that a midwife is Lincoln has been told not to go to work and may lose her job because her hair is dyed red? AIBU to think this trust is out of touch with the modern world? I really would not care if a midwife or nurse had rainbow coloured hair as long as they were kind and competent?

OP posts:
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Snapsnapsnap · 21/12/2018 09:51

My midwife had Afro hair in braids and begged me not to puke in them (it was going everywhere). I'd like my midwife to be vomit proof next time. Perhaps I will pack one of those old lady rain caps in my hospital bag.

Joking. She was bloody brilliant and I am still a little bit in love with her.

stevie69 · 21/12/2018 09:54

Well, if you want really 'hideous and chavvy', here's a selection of my hair.

I'm a chartered accountant: a good chartered accountant. Nobody seems to mind Blush

Do you care what colour hair your midwife has?
Do you care what colour hair your midwife has?
Do you care what colour hair your midwife has?
Evemary · 21/12/2018 09:56

Couldn’t give a damn, as long as they do their job properly.

What is with people saying it doesn’t look “Professional”

Since when does someone’s appearance affect their ability to do their job? People are allowed to be individuals these days. As long as they are clean who cares?! I love tattoos and bright hair!

TooStressyForMyOwnGood · 21/12/2018 09:57

It’s bad enough that schools exclude pupils for different colour hair. The fact that a Trust would deprive women and babies if care by getting rid of a midwife when they are critically short staffed is almost worse. It should be unacceptable to judge people on their appearance.

I totally agree with Ali1ce:-
Unfortunately nursing and midwifery hasn’t thrown off its handmaiden shackles and the unions / professional bodies are weak*.

Avegemitesandwich · 21/12/2018 10:54

Holy shit Stevie that must take ages, those look amazing!

meow1989 · 21/12/2018 11:00

No, couldn't care less. I've known very experienced intensive care nurses with facial piercings and facial tattoos, no-one cared when they were saving their loved ones life. I actually think sometimes having a more individual appearance can promote the building if a professional relationship, not everyone wants to be treated by someone in a suit.

Utterly unreasonable.

NurseryFightClub · 21/12/2018 11:05

Maybe poll a bunch of mums and ask if they even remember their midwife hair color.....i can't. I just remember she was lovely Smile

recklessruby · 21/12/2018 11:09

Ok predujiced here. Ds has blue hair and tattoos. He s praised constantly for his work selling furnishings and stuff and a lot of it to older people.
Dd has black and green hair and tattoos and works with mentally ill people. They love her.
My dc are two of the kindest people around who would help anyone.
I have brown hair dip dyed blue. No one at work minds.
If I was giving birth I wouldn't care if the midwife had rainbow hair or tattoos or was a green alien as long as she was kind and supportive.

stevie69 · 21/12/2018 11:12

Holy shit Stevie that must take ages, those look amazing!

Thank you so much Blush. The lengthy bits are waiting for the bleach to lift — I'm very dark naturally — and then waiting for the colour to take. The design creation itself is very quick.

CemetaryGates · 21/12/2018 11:40

@stevie69 Oh wow, they are works of art! So creative.

NotCitrus · 21/12/2018 13:15

Personally I'd like more hospital staff to be easily identified by hair colour given I'm terrible with faces even when not distracted by giving birth. Giving me identical twin consultants was just sneaky (to be fair, they worked different shifts to minimise confusion). Definitions of 'professional' need to move on - I would bet most people who think coloured hair is unprofessional are over child-bearing age, which is in fact relevant here.

Tippexy · 21/12/2018 13:17

I would think they don’t have very good professional judgement.

Ditto visible tattoos.

Uncool opinion I know, but there we go!

eightoclock · 21/12/2018 13:24

I wouldn't mind red. I think blue is a bit odd (ok for for teenagers but not really for a professional type role). Lots of piercings or visible tattoos or make up would put me off. But generally I would rather a nice competent midwife with blue hair and a nose ring than someone not as nice without these things.

EhlanaOfElenia · 21/12/2018 13:27

With all of the rules that midwives have to follow, encouraging less use of pain relief, meeting targets for a reduced number of C-sections etc, I would actually feel MORE comfortable with a midwife that I would perceive as having the strength of will and character to be different, and to stand up to 'management' in that small way.

RockingAroundTheChristmasTree1 · 21/12/2018 13:32

I cant believe some mum's on here would think that someone would be less experienced because of their hair colour!!!!!
I wouldn't give a crap if their face was covered in tattoos, had thousands of piercings and a bright green three foot mohican!!

Frequency · 21/12/2018 13:38

Definitions of 'professional' need to move on - I would bet most people who think coloured hair is unprofessional are over child-bearing age, which is in fact relevant here

From working in a salon that specialises in fashion colours, ime, it's always women aged in their early thirties to late forties who judge. They're always the ones who pull a face and whisper about the lady/girl who just walked out with rainbow hair. The older ladies we get think it's brilliant and lament they are too old for rainbow hair, with the exception of the eighty-six year old lady who is planning on going rainbow for her ninetieth if she lives that long.

Imissgmichael · 21/12/2018 13:40

In my view Tippexy someone who thinks someone with dyed red hair hasn’t got good professional judgement isn’t capable of critical thinking and their own judgement is off.

The sort of BS this particular midwife is being subjected to is one of the reasons I left nursing and I was a damn good nurse. It’s a shame to see nothing has changed in all the years since I jumped ship.

stevie69 · 21/12/2018 13:45

From working in a salon that specialises in fashion colours, ime, it's always women aged in their early thirties to late forties who judge. They're always the ones who pull a face and whisper about the lady/girl who just walked out with rainbow hair. The older ladies we get think it's brilliant and lament they are too old for rainbow hair, with the exception of the eighty-six year old lady who is planning on going rainbow for her ninetieth if she lives that long

Well, I'm 51 and I have the most awesome hair in the north — thanks to my amazing stylist. The rest is here. Apologies for the pic overkill. I've never had a chance to showcase it all before Blush

I'm definitely and absolutely professional in my approach at work. As I've mentioned, I'm an accountant so I have to be.

Do you care what colour hair your midwife has?
Do you care what colour hair your midwife has?
Do you care what colour hair your midwife has?
Toddlerteaplease · 21/12/2018 13:56

I saw that on local news. There must be more too it than that.

asnugglysnerd · 21/12/2018 14:04

What a ridiculous concern to have.

As long as they are good at their job and look clean and tidy then crack on.

Imissgmichael · 21/12/2018 14:06

Someone posted earlier Toddler that they knew the midwife and it is indeed only about her hair. Knowing how the NHS works (DH is still employed by them) I’m inclined to believe it.

Frequency · 21/12/2018 14:06

Your hair is awesome Stevie. My sister has a disconnected haircut with a shaved side. I tried to talk her into bleaching it and letting me colour a Christmas tree on it last time I did her hair but she wouldn't play Sad

My other sister is coming home for Christmas. She's going to let me turn her into a glow in the dark neon rainbow but she also won't let me shave her hair and paint a Christmas tree on it. No-one will let me give them red and green Christmas hair either.

stevie69 · 21/12/2018 14:29

@Frequency

Just for you, this is my red and green Christmas hair. And if you're ever in Yorkshire, drop in; you can shave my head and paint whatever you like on it Smile My stylist designs all my looks: I never see anything until it's completely finished Shock

Do you care what colour hair your midwife has?
EhlanaOfElenia · 21/12/2018 14:34

Stevie, looks awesome, but where's the bits of sparkle? You need to add some teeny little bits of gold or silver highlights!!!

MaisyPops · 21/12/2018 14:35

Ali1cedowntherabbithole
It's not professional by traditional standards of professional dress. Even if I wouldn't personally care.

I used to have bright bits in my hair before teaching. Teaching is generally more conservative and I wouldn't put them back in now. Sure, it wouldn't make a difference to my teaching but I'm under no illusions that schools, parents and the community can be more traditional in expectations of staff and I'm not wedded to the principle of 'I want bright hair'.

Part of professionalism (to me) is accepting that I might not like all the rules all the time and sometimes I've got to suck it up. I find complaining about places having rules reminds me of teenagers throwing a strop.

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