Really deep, philosophical question: Does coloured hair signify you're a TRA?

[Comvit]

I'm thinking of dyeing my hair a wild colour. In the past I've seen talk of 'blue fringes' as shorthand for TRAs. I don't fancy blue hair so that's okay.

But more recently, I've seen RadFems on Twitter talking about purple and pink haired people in the same way - as shorthand for TRAs.

I was really seriously thinking of dyeing my hair pink with either purple front bits or a hidden purple patch underneath - yet to decide. But does brightly coloured hair (of any colour) now signify TRA politics? Or am I over-thinking this!?

I try not to stereotype & some of the posts above have mentioned free thinkers and GCs among the rainbow haired, so I will keep that in mind. That said, I’m still haunted by my experiences with a rainbow haired colleague who thought they were really alternative but had a very simplistic, orthodox SJW perspective on everything. That person counts amongst my top 3 most annoying colleagues of all time. I try very hard to keep an open mind but God it’s hard when so many of the noisy, angry SJWs wear the same conformist uniform.

Quite so!
Reject all those stereotypes, do whatever you want to with your hair.

I had pink hair at the start of lockdown before everyone decided you have to zoom every day (I have the kind of job where pink hair, especially for a woman pushing 60, would be very frowned upon). I shall dye it pink again the moment I retire

I’ve had brightly coloured hair for decades, currently purple and blue. I’m a granny and definitely not TRA. Some judgey people on here.

Oh and I'm most definitely not a TRA!

I have purple hair. Not TRA.

Very bright pink here. Used to be blue too. Definitely GC and on these boards but not with this name usually

I’m nearly 50 and have been colouring my hair on and off since before many of these TRA’s parents were born 😂

if you like it do it. I wear a rainbow bracelet and a unicorn one. They are good conversation starters with children at work.

My hair is naturally dark and the ends are bleached with a pink/purple washout dye over the top. It's fairly subtle but most people notice it. I am GC.

I have turquoise and purple short hair. I'm a straight GC woman. I just wanted short coloured hair!

IME yes. There's a look. I suppose if it's just the hair dye with everything else "normal", then maybe not.

Haha, I had this colleague too. They rotated between every hair colour of the rainbow, and much time was taken up at the beginning of meetings talking about the latest colour. That and pronouns stuff accounted for a high proportion of their work communications.

A slightly off-the-topic comment on this: On Twitter having a profile picture of a childish anime cartoon character face is an almost 100% accurate predictor that the owner of the account is a trans activist.

It's fascinating, because it suggests that the anime communities are somehow deeply involved in all this. Or if not that, then perhaps the idea that people can create their own images online without having any of the real world limitations?

Do you think JK Rowling (age 56) really has natural bright red hair like that?

I'm old enough to remember when she was blonde...

JKRs colour isn't really the same type, even if it's unnatural. Most of the reds you see aren't.

It's the very saturated crayola colours that give the look.

I think it' become associated with that particular group because they tend to be attracted to style statements that have a whiff of surface non-conformity about them. Often also short or asymmetrical, maybe tattoos or a nose ring, and certain other things pulled from pung, goth, and alternative fashion.

All of these are now fully commercialized and associated with being "progressive" in some circles, and people feel safe wearing those things but also edgy.

I think if you like the styles for themselves, go ahead and wear them. But it's worth being aware that people might on first meeting associate you with a certain political tribe.

I don't think - as a fan of all things Japanese - that it's anime's fault. There are lots of anime fans (aka most of the Japanese nation) who are not TRAs, and the agenda isn't intrinsic to the films.

BUT having said that, I have no idea why they all like anime so much, except that perhaps the stereotyping of women in Japanese culture is appalling. Or that real life is too confusing for them.

But that's not what I came to say. I dye my grey streaks, they are currently v dark blue. My style icon is Philippa Perry, I am a name changing regular on this board. We need to reclaim the hair colour.

I think they do it because they need a lazy signifier of their nonconformism.

I’m forever directing people to the loos where I work. I’ve had a couple of women independent of each other tell me they were men when I had the temerity to point them in the direction of the ladies. Both had blue/ green hair so I tend to associate it with trans. I wouldn’t necessarily think other bright colours were trans.

There is definitely a look. It’s not green/blue hair on its own though.

Must be accompanied with a terrible haircut, ill fitting black clothes on someone slightly overweight with pasty skin.

Also that look on their face that they’ve never been told ‘no’ by their parents.

Lots seem to have a septum piercing too.

Of course people dye their hair for all kinds of reasons, but it's true that bright hair colours suggest rejection of conformity, the desire to stand out, and some degree of willingness to alter the body beyond what is natural.

Gender-pious people don't have a monopoly on those traits, though. GC people are taking a strong stand against conformity. I'm a liberal; I like individuality. I also appreciate bold statements (being shy myself), and I think adults should have the right to modify their own bodies. Logically enough, some GC people with similar views choose to have colourful hair.

Off on a slight tangent here: I wonder if it would be possible to dye one's hair in Suffragette colours (green, white, violet)?

My hair is currently purple - have had turquoise and bright red in the past.

I'm definitely straight, definitely GC and definitely not TRA.

I must move in very boring circles as the people I know with brightly coloured hair (pink, purple, orange, red) are also straight and not TRA, not sure of the GC status of all of them though must admit.

My hair has been pink/purple/blue for a while. The pink is fading/growing out and next time it will be purple and green. The white is natural!
I love my hair and get lots of compliments about it.

i think it’s the overall look that’s the issue.

So choppy badly done haircut, ill fitting or wrong for the occasion clothes (especially if overly “feminine”), covered in badges declaring their pronouns and showing off whatever the latest rainbow flag variant is…..yeah I’d assume they were TRAs and generally tiresome idiots and probably avoid them.

But I wouldn’t assume that an obvious goth/punk/hippie boho type with coloured hair had any particular views.

I used to see plastic coloured hair as signifying 'free thinker'.

I no longer do.