tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post969501296092642677..comments2024-03-14T04:53:49.513-05:00Comments on FemaleScienceProfessor: Hair TodayFemale Science Professorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288567883197987690noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-31533029403087515612011-10-31T18:31:24.693-05:002011-10-31T18:31:24.693-05:00Odd that I should only see this post now, two days...Odd that I should only see this post now, two days after I cut my way-past-the-shoulders curly hair to a just-at-the-shoulders style. That said, I ride my bike to work, so most of the time I (early forties, FWIW) arrive with my hair in pigtail braids to keep it off my neck when I ride, and sometimes I just don't bother to take it out.<br /><br />On a related note: what about women going gray? At the recent haircut, I also had the hair dyed back to its natural (darker) color so I could let the gray come in naturally. This is something that I've been planning to do for a couple of years now, but when I mentioned it to a couple of slightly older female colleagues -- very much couched in a "this is for me; I'm not judging anyone else's decisions" way -- things went dead silent, there were significant glances, and language more appropriate to an intervention. What's up with that? <br /><br />More on-topic: Do we think that a woman who lets the gray come in taken more seriously, or less?Notorious Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08700875559325201086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-7093727455164878422011-10-24T14:00:41.750-05:002011-10-24T14:00:41.750-05:00P.S. short hair actually takes the most maintenanc...P.S. short hair actually takes the most maintenance - you have to keep cutting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-57495014341207183892011-10-23T23:42:35.198-05:002011-10-23T23:42:35.198-05:00Just don't have a bad dye job. One of our seni...Just don't have a bad dye job. One of our senior administrators has hair dyed from box in a bad color on her, and also chews gum in meetings. She should get hair done by someone who knows what they're doing, and ditch the gum. It's just not a professional appearance and it doesn't show respect for the entities she's working with.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-26342588924267726112011-10-21T23:30:48.212-05:002011-10-21T23:30:48.212-05:00I think that for many scientific fields, if you lo...I think that for many scientific fields, if you look like you spend too much time looking nice, then you are perceived as not spending enough time on science.<br /><br />Long, beautiful hair... well that takes some time to take care of, or least I think that it is perceived to. <br /><br />But we're caught in a bind, given the good references cited earlier to research that shows that someone who takes a little time with their looks will be perceived as more competent. <br /><br />So, what to do? Well, do what you WANT of course. But if you don't mind playing the game, then it seems the best calculation to try for a look of "effortless beauty", and back it up with a comment like "Oh, I look nice? Thank you. But really, I just threw it on."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-4517847239041277762011-10-17T20:38:17.261-05:002011-10-17T20:38:17.261-05:00Works both waysWorks <a href="http://www.ivm.vu.nl/en/people/researchers/environmental-economics/tol/index.asp" rel="nofollow">both ways</a>EliRabetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07957002964638398767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-4697713007374213012011-10-14T20:01:47.117-05:002011-10-14T20:01:47.117-05:00If mean can wear a beard to work, why cannot women...If mean can wear a beard to work, why cannot women wear long hair to work? I have long hair, and I do pin it up, but I do not think it matters too much. I also wear traditional (Ethnic) clothes to work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-29861612611044329412011-10-14T09:34:06.396-05:002011-10-14T09:34:06.396-05:00It's not fair, but I think female scientists&#...It's not fair, but I think female scientists' appearance is judged more harshly than males'. Alas, I've become a hair conformist. Possibly because as a 4th year grad student I still look 16!<br /><br /> In high-school and college my hair was blue. I was worried about interviewing for grad school with blue hair, so I died it back to my natural color. Three years into grad school I died it blue again (I figured my PI was too invested to complain at that point). But then I had a conference and rotation in a prestigious lab to train in a new technique, so I died it brown and cut it short.<br /><br />It does seem that once you reach a certain level, you can do what you want. A renowned physiologist in a nearby prestigious school has knee-length hair, flowy skirts and always wears sandals and silver bracelets. But then again, she's in her 60s and everyone in her field knows she can kick their butts.Aletheahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056863610469196748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-75827731623575266092011-10-14T05:00:38.559-05:002011-10-14T05:00:38.559-05:00"Very long hair on someone middle-aged or old...<i>"Very long hair on someone middle-aged or older sends a strong sociological signal: the wearer is apathetic towards/unaware of/consciously rejects norms of professional appearance. I would argue that this signal is approximately the same whether the long hair is on a man or woman. "</i><br /><br />This might be true, but in that case it is all the more reason to do it, even if you wouldn't otherwise. For "wearing long hair" substitute "offering a job to a black person" not all that many years ago.Phillip Helbighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12067585245603436809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-86056714326352552922011-10-13T21:48:00.828-05:002011-10-13T21:48:00.828-05:00I am a 50 year old woman with long straight hair. ...I am a 50 year old woman with long straight hair. I will cut it to an age-appropriate shorter length when 30 year old women stop calling themselves "girls".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-80296220691428244302011-10-13T21:38:46.027-05:002011-10-13T21:38:46.027-05:00Very long hair on someone middle-aged or older sen...Very long hair on someone middle-aged or older sends a strong sociological signal: the wearer is apathetic towards/unaware of/consciously rejects norms of professional appearance. I would argue that this signal is approximately the same whether the long hair is on a man or woman.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-90666469767393071772011-10-13T21:04:12.506-05:002011-10-13T21:04:12.506-05:00Unless you are doing lab work where your hair shou...Unless you are doing lab work where your hair should be tied up and out of the way I don't see how it matters how you wear your hair. <br />So I wear a ponytail, jeans, sneakers and no make up. Walking around maybe I blend in a little with the students, but I feel comfortable and am able to go into the lab without changing shoes, messing up "styled" hair or removing my make up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-69366701063018846352011-10-13T20:20:32.286-05:002011-10-13T20:20:32.286-05:00People often assume I must be from the communicati...People often assume I must be from the communications or urban studies department as I am far too well dressed to be a mathematician.<br /><br />There will always be people who make foolish snap decisions based on appearance. Sadly we cannot all be sensible in all areas of our lives. All we can do is try to set examples for those sensible enough to notice.<br /><br />People always assume my wife must be so proud of her professor husband who lives an unimaginable (to her) life of the mind (or whatever). However, she is an award winning author, stay at home mom and principal bread winner! She just smiles and nods and adds to her list.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-89395671996573803972011-10-13T20:18:43.024-05:002011-10-13T20:18:43.024-05:00I think it is weird that some people think long ha...I think it is weird that some people think long hair is totally fine AS LONG AS IT IS TIED BACK OR PUT UP. What? We are not talking about safety or food prep here. We are talking about teaching a class or going to a faculty meeting. Why can't women with long hair wear their hair down and look professional?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-53017320780807735172011-10-13T18:59:55.937-05:002011-10-13T18:59:55.937-05:00There are a couple of context in which hair length...There are a couple of context in which hair length or style matters: in food preparation and in shops with rotating machinery. In both of these contexts hair must be bound in a way that it can't cause problems (hairnets in food prep, no loose ends in shop).<br /><br />A young woman with long hair died in a shop accident last spring: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/nyregion/yale-student-dies-in-machine-shop-accident.html<br /><br />In contexts where health and safety are not major concerns, hair length, style, and color are personal preferences that should not be taken into account in decision making.<br /><br />There are a lot of supposedly adult people still playing middle-school status games, though, so there are times when one might modify one's appearance to affect the reactions of small-minded people in power.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-66845669956549992342011-10-13T18:00:20.498-05:002011-10-13T18:00:20.498-05:00Do whatever you want with your hair.
I *do* feel ...Do whatever you want with your hair.<br /><br />I *do* feel more confident with a hip(ish) hairstyle. The ponytail/bun thing wasn't working for me, in part because it emphasized my youth (I'm in my late 30s, but still 25 years younger than most of my colleagues), but also I realized that I would look and feel better with a different hairstyle. <br /><br />I don't wear make-up or spend a lot of time on my appearance. However, at a minimum, I do get a good haircut a few times a year and try to wear pants from this decade.MamaRoxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-46611564526692241742011-10-13T17:27:50.261-05:002011-10-13T17:27:50.261-05:00Did you suggest to your male colleague that ... th...<i>Did you suggest to your male colleague that ... the most effective strategy is to bind your breasts?</i><br /><br />Yes, this is in fact true. In my field, if one cannot emulate the behaviour of the men, one is thrown out, especially if one is talented. I am not making this up. Men regularly tell me that I don't deserve respect, because I am not 'Manly' enough. Over the decades, I often wear baggy clothes to hide my shapeliness, but then I look too ratty and 'unclean'. <br /><br />The hair is all a part of this focus on one's image. Women need to be kept in their place, lest the last brick wall one day shall fall. Since you don't seem to care much about the bigger feminist issues, you might want to cut your hair. You will be taken more seriously, for sure.Keahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05652514294703722285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-31922787176172107692011-10-13T17:14:37.304-05:002011-10-13T17:14:37.304-05:00Agreed. In an academic context I think it does mai...Agreed. In an academic context I think it does mainly come down to sexism. Male faculty can be as dressy or as casual as they want and it's seen as a matter or personal choice, but it feels like there is a fine line that women are expected to adhere to WRT hair, clothes and makeup. Not too casual, not too dressy, age-appropriate, etc. It pisses me off. <br />Yes, I know that first impressions matter, and I don the appropriate clothes and even makeup when necessary, and put my longish hair under control when needed. However, I believe that as long I bathe, brush my hair and teeth and wear clean, somewhat appropriate clothes, all other aspects of my appearance are my own damned business. I get very cranky when people suggest that purely optional things such as nail polish, eyebrow waxing, makeup, etc, are necessary.Old Biddyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12982631719343776864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-62248079540488242462011-10-13T16:44:28.816-05:002011-10-13T16:44:28.816-05:00Huh? This is a thing? Oh great. I love my long hai...Huh? This is a thing? Oh great. I love my long hair and I wear it down half the time. I had no idea having long hair, and wearing it down was considered unprofessional. I'm a PhD student, a mother in my 30s, and I try to dress for my age. I dress much more nicely than most of my fellow students, and I wear makeup daily (most others don't). I don't wear t-shirts even to work in the lab. I always thought dressing nicely and primping makes a person look more professional. "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have", right? This is frustrating, because I can't figure out if my look makes people give me more or less respect. Maybe I need to whack my hair off, eschew makeup, and start wearing fugly, ill-fitting clothes if I want people to respect my science?wombatnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-13226862216020518912011-10-13T15:38:16.572-05:002011-10-13T15:38:16.572-05:00I am always amused by the conversations scientists...I am always amused by the conversations scientists have on these types of topics. Yes, we should be judged by what's inside rather than outside, yes if our science is lame no one will care what our hair looks like and yes we're all too busy submitting manuscripts to care. But the fact of the matter is, we are judged, at least to some extent by our appearances. <br /><br />If you are Professor Uber-Famous, you can go to meeting barefoot. But most of us will not be uber-famous. We'll be lucky to be quasi-famous. And in that case, perhaps a carefully cultivated appearance of competence (tailored to field and environment, of course) might not hurt. <br /><br />Your appearance will affect your career, at least to the extent that first impressions are involved. What you choose to do with that information is up to you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-4925354941268202392011-10-13T15:16:22.720-05:002011-10-13T15:16:22.720-05:00I think it's important to have a somewhat curr...I think it's important to have a somewhat current professional look. Obviously, some faculty don't, and that works for them. The tenured full prof in English can wear his old jeans and white sneakers and students will flock to take his class. But that doesn't mean he's going to make a lot of in-roads with donors or admin. A professional, some current appearance (with clothes, hair, whatever) can help you look more professional and current all-around. <br /><br />This can also be a problem for people who are dressing professionally, but with the same hair and clothes they wore in the 80s.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-71635454091358102252011-10-13T13:27:14.913-05:002011-10-13T13:27:14.913-05:00I think the appearance of taking care of your hair...I think the appearance of taking care of your hair is what matters more, and perhaps long hair can be mistaken as not taken care of. Long hair in itself is not an indicator, but if someone perceives that you don't take care of yourself (e.g. judging your weight, eating habits, hair appearance), then they may project that on your career.<br /><br />I have long hair. I let it get unruly sometimes, and I think it matters sometimes.<br /><br />But remember, a short hairstyle requires even more work! If you cut it, you'll have to take time to keep it nice and trim it more -- we're too busy doing science to do that!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-7764287246401311332011-10-13T13:13:13.368-05:002011-10-13T13:13:13.368-05:00"Some men in my field of Science don't tr...<i>"Some men in my field of Science don't treat women as serious, professional colleagues, but it's not because our hair is long or short or pink or yellow."</i><br /><br />I'm a graduate student and I feel this all the time. Its disturbing to me and cross more than just the physical sciences. I have colleagues less skilled or experienced than I that get a lot more respect. Its quite frustrating. I have an inter-disciplinary fellowship and often meet with other females who have the same award in a different academic department. We have bonded so much over what feels like a constant battle in each of our fields to be treated equally <b>and</b> respectfully. We have discussed often how we might change our physical appearance or how our physical appearance might play a role. In the end, we always resolve to stay true to our personalities (within the expectations of an interaction) rather than change our style for the event. <br /><br />As a result of my Fellowship, I often have to socialize with important individuals in the University Community. I have developed a certain sense of guiding the conversation when meeting "important" individuals so that I can figure out if they have already passed judgement on me -- or if they are evaluating me as we chat. Its quite an illuminating game to play -- and often I challenge myself to change their opinion of me through the conversation or meeting by choosing what I say very carefully. Its exhausting, but has opened my eyes to how University Politics work in both positive and negative respects.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-11056775496895172172011-10-13T13:01:35.396-05:002011-10-13T13:01:35.396-05:00Did you suggest to your male colleague that while ...Did you suggest to your male colleague that while you could cut your hair to be taken more seriously clearly the most effective strategy is to bind your breasts?<br /><br />I've started pointing out the logical conclusions of sexist/racist/homophobic statements people make and it seems to help people understand why what they're saying is so problematic. They could also tell short men to wear lifts, black men and women to try a light facial bleaching and straighten their hair, and men who seem "gay" to wear something 'more butch'. But your colleague probably wouldn't say those things because of that whole 'getting your ass sued off' thing. Telling a woman to alter her appearance to seem more 'serious' and assuming she's not wearing bunny ears at work - is incredibly sexist.<br /><br />It's reasonable to expect professionals to be clean and reasonably pulled together but ridiculous (as well as sexist, often racist, and certainly culturist) to specify what that entails and to make what that entails a WASP male model. <br /><br />Does it actually matter though? Maybe - but as someone else commented I can't waste my time worrying about that - too busy submitting manuscripts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-17749488280636481482011-10-13T12:51:06.891-05:002011-10-13T12:51:06.891-05:00In response to some of the reader comments which n...In response to some of the reader comments which note that they always wear makeup and have a manicure, I think it's good to do what you need to to feel comfortable in your own skin. But, it can be taken too far. If I saw a woman at a conference with long, painted nails, overly done makeup, and hair that was just too styled, I wouldn't take her seriously on first impression. So, this can backfire as well. <br /><br />To get back to the original question, I have long hair that I never wear up. I do make sure it is neat, trimmed, and styled. I also look a decade younger than I am. I am a very interdisciplinary and in one of my fields, I am fairly often the only woman present. I've never found my appearance to be a problem. In fact, it makes me easier to find in a crowded room and easier to remember. I have been judged more in other fields I am a part of where there are more women. I think each field's culture plays a big role in how appearance is seen and judged.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-83039166550957008322011-10-13T12:25:00.708-05:002011-10-13T12:25:00.708-05:00People have mental images of what others *should* ...People have mental images of what others *should* look like. People who look like they *should* (in the minds of others) get taken more seriously. People who look different than the stereotype make others uncomfortable and therefore make these others more likely to engage in avoidance behaviors. This is true of men and women in every profession.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com