So yesterday morning I took my son to get a haircut. Normally when he was younger and not to long away i found myself never wanting to go the barbershop. In NY everytime a girl walks into a barbershop its like time freezes and you feel your skin burning from how hard they are looking at you and not necessarily your face ;)... So this time around i said screw it i'm going in! The minute a woman walks in the topics change and the attitude of the barbers seems to have a flip on switch of decency and respect( which is great when you think about it) But it had me wondering the following? Is the barbershop a place for woman? When was the last time you saw a woman as the barber? Well i came across this article of a woman in NJ who has retired from being a barber after 50 years. Even though i'm aware that this is a blog for Theorizing masculinity. My real question is what is going on behind those doors before a woman walks in?
Just for kicks i figure i would attach a picture of my little one and his new haircut :)
Yeah. My mother dropped us off at the barbershop. I don't remember her going in with us. The barbershop is a social institution. Specifically, in the barbershops I grew up going to (My locks don't require me to go that often anymore)- it was a space for social commentary and freedom to express male beauty. I remember conversations about politics, women, sports, a lot of bitching about wives or girlfriends or baby mamas- just "man" talk. No women allowed! lol. Also, hair is "raced" and "gendered." I remember getting yelled at for letting a "white woman" at JC Penney cut my hair one time. Well, she said she listened to KOOL and the Gang! When I followed barbershop rules, the male barber would teach me how to be a "man" and I always went to black owned barbershops. It really took a while for me to realize that women or non-black persons could cut my hair. The barbershop was a cool place. We went over how important education was. I was encouraged to be athletic. Sometimes, they would ask me, "How many girlfriends do you have?" I go to a hispanic owned barbershop now, just because its closer to my house," and I don't understand what they are saying most of the time!
ReplyDeleteThanks Adam on your feedback. I took my little one to a spanish barbershop, but never realizing hair is genered. That a super intresting concept.!
ReplyDelete