Why I Have Long Hair

While I was in Toronto the other day, I inadvertently got a twig caught in my hair. A very nice stranger pointed it out and helped me get the twig out of my hair. I thanked him and then he proceeded to say that getting a twig caught in long hair is a first world problem. His callousness with the term “first world problem” bothered me a teeny bit… well more than a teeny bit because I’m sitting here telling all of you about it. The issue I take with someone saying me having a twig in my hair because I have long hair is fundamentally inaccurate because lots of people not in the first world have long hair and must get things stuck in it. In addition, the association of long hair with the first world utterly ignores any culture that celebrates long hair… there are A LOT of people in Asia (yes I do mean the whole continent. There are many ethnocultural groups of the continent because there are too many who have long hair as a part of the culture to list and do justice to.) who do just this. So I’d like to make this clear. Yes, I had the problem of having a twig stuck in my long hair while I was in the first world. This does not make it a first world problem!

This has also made me want to share with you all the reasoning behind my hair…

I throughout the majority of my life have had long hair. I’ve chopped it off at various points to donate it to make wigs or dye it blonde by really for the last 23 years of my life it’s been mostly long. Really the defacto reason for having long hair is because I can and I’ve always had it. As I’ve gotten older an considered different hair lengths it’s become more of a conscious choice.

Reason 1:

It’s frankly really easy to take care off. My hair, the longer it gets, the more low maintenance it is. The weight makes my natural waves straighten out and it’s generally not dry.

Reason 2:

I save a lot of money. I don’t use a ton of product on a regular basis, buy my shampoo and conditioner at litre sales and get my hair cut every 12-18 months…

Reason 3:

I love to braid my hair and having long hair gives so much more room to play with intricate patterns.

Reason 4:

I can. I mean this is a purely genetic thing. Some people have a really difficult time growing out their hair past a certain length. I clearly don’t have that problem. Thanks, mom and dad for long hair genes.

Reason 5:

It’s a subtle nod to my heritage.

Reason 6:

Short hair is SUCH A PAIN TO STYLE. I know how to do it but I find long hair much more simple.

That’s all the reasons I have long hair! Hope you guys enjoyed!

xoxo Steph