Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Don't Hate Me if I Look Good in Gray!

I was watching "Runaway Bride" the other day. It stars Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. I was thinking while I was watching it how Richard Gere is accepted for his gray hair, whereas I am often criticized! Is this a double standard? Do we only accept gray hair in men? Or is it just that we only accept handsome men with gray hair? ;)
When I was living in China, I was happy to see that our Branch President's wife was salt and pepper gray. I have never wanted to dye my hair. It just didn't feel like me, and I didn't want the expense and hassle. So when I saw this woman's hair, I felt empowered to keep my gray. Every week I would go to church and see her gray hair, and think to myself, "Yes! This is the way nature intended!" Not too many weeks later, I went to church one day and saw that she had dyed her hair! I was so let down! But I still didn't give in, and to this day I haven't. I still think that it's okay to be gray.
A few years ago I went to a meeting at church, and before it started I was talking with a woman, and told her why I don't dye my hair. She suddenly, adamantly said, "I don't do gray!" Oooookay. But then recently I started working with someone new at church who dyes her hair. After working with her for a short time, I suddenly noticed that she quit dying her hair. Now, her hair isn't anywhere near as gray as mine, but I wondered if I was a sort of "gray hair support group" for her. If I can help other people to feel comfortable with being natural, then that makes me happy. If Richard Gere can do it, why can't I? Besides, I've had color analysis done, and I can wear the color gray, and the color white. So I'm set for the rest of my life! :D

7 comments:

Lindsay Logic said...

I love that clairol makes a haircolor for gray that makes it prettier. So if you're one of those ladies that don't go the color of gray you want to be...you can still dye it the color of gray you want! lol :)

Inklings said...

I obviously also think it's okay to go gray. :0) I don't want the expense or hassle of coloring my hair, either. Plus, natural hair has shine, and if you look at most colored hair on older women, it has a dull finish.

Fromagette said...

Luckily, I grew up with a mother with grey hair so it is completely normal for me and I plan on doing the same. My sister, however, started going (seriously) grey in high school. She didn't do anything about it until she really felt like her students were laughing at her, so now she dyes her hair. I just don't want to keep paying to keep it up.

Nene said...

Well, I had to promise my Stake President in a temple recommend interview a few years ago that I would never dye my hair. :0)

Ramana Rajgopaul said...

My late wife never dyed her hair after she greyed and I think that she looked absolutely gorgeous with that. I too never dyed my grey hair, though, now the problem, which you luckily do not have, is losing hair! Just imagine how RG will look if he went bald!

Mr. Giggles said...

I have dyed my hair. Alot. And I was aware that women feel like you say in this post, but I have never heard a woman CRITICIZED for being gray! That's outright ridiculous! In a world with purple mohawks and green spikes, of shaved heads (both men AND women), and DREADLOCKS (esp. those like B. Marley, where new species of LICE were found in his head after his death), I can't believe ANYONE has the gall to badmouth someone just for going gray!

Tikno said...

I'm guessing that your family and your friends are touched by your heart, no matter your hair is gray or white :)

You look nice with your hair style on the photo.