# Is Senator Barbara Boxer's hairdo "a veritable rats nest of white femininity"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 11, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806 "2010-06-11T15:34:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/21 "2010-06-12T00:22:40Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > … > As for the columnist: she should talk! Her style doesn’t say “let’s get down to business” or “I’m feminine.” It just says "blah… To me it says, “I’m saving up for a comb.” ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/22 "2010-06-12T00:26:26Z")
The strange thing here is that Fiorina is apparently credited (by one writer) for being post-feminine (good in the writer’s world) and “no-nonsense,” though _she’s_ apparently the one with the unliberated woman’s concern for hair. > [@](#): > > [Fiorina] has talked about her hair publicly as something she “misses” now that it is cropped close to her head. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/23 "2010-06-12T02:49:14Z")
[Ghastly !!!](http://captainhardcrabspub.net/images/Sen_Barbara_Boxer_D_CA.jpg) Kidding… what the hell is Fiorino talking about?? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/24 "2010-06-12T04:13:07Z")
If it weren’t for her hair, she’d look like Phil Spector in that pic. See, it helps too! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/25 "2010-06-12T05:25:49Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > My brother’s long term GF, the not my sister in law, has worked at HP for years. Carly is universally hated by all who have had the hell of working for her. > Carly (don’t wanna risk misspelling her last name) must have paid for this piece to get people talking about both candidate’s hair so that Carly’s inappropriate open mic catty remarks will fade into the background of an astroturfed “genuine” debate about their hair. There will be more. I trust everyone remembers that when she was a McCain adviser she was either fired or kept away from microphones from opening her trap once too often. Rightly or wrongly few Silicon Valley CEOs have trouble finding new jobs, unless they screwed up big time. Carly never got another job. 'nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/26 "2010-06-12T07:27:02Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > There will be more. I trust everyone remembers that when she was a McCain adviser she was either fired or kept away from microphones from opening her trap once too often. > Rightly or wrongly few Silicon Valley CEOs have trouble finding new jobs, unless they screwed up big time. Carly never got another job. 'nuff said. That and she made no end of enemies while doing at HP. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/27 "2010-06-12T10:49:57Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > That and she made no end of enemies while doing at HP. Hell, I never worked at HP, never even had an HP computer, but you can believe that I am very happy that the company spun off Agilent before Fiorina could screw that up as well. I really like Agilent’s stuff and they’re my first choice when it comes to lab instrumentation. I hope that Boxer points out in a debate that Fiorina, despite her claims, does not know how to run a company successfully because, if she did, she wouldn’t have gotten fired. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/28 "2010-06-12T15:19:30Z")
After watching the clip I think Carly was being catty. She just got caught with the mic on. She has the cooler doo but Barbara’s isn’t awful. She seems like a Bee-atch to me. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/29 "2010-06-12T15:58:27Z")
I just checked the link in the OP. The author is in no position to be criticizing anyone’s appearance. Neither am I, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/30 "2010-06-12T19:24:30Z")
I don’t think Fiorina’s off mic comment is all that big a scandal. But this particular follow up and the way they are handling it is just weird. Jerry Brown’s comparing Meg Whitman’s campaign tactics to Goebbels, while quite technically accurate, seems to me to be a lot more of an eye opener. And Brown really should have known better ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/31 "2010-06-12T20:05:39Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I don’t think Fiorina’s off mic comment is all that big a scandal. But this particular follow up and the way they are handling it is just weird. Jerry Brown’s comparing Meg Whitman’s campaign tactics to Goebbels, while quite technically accurate, seems to me to be a lot more of an eye opener. And Brown really should have known better That was an unfair comment - Goebbels never had that kind of money. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/32 "2010-06-12T23:21:38Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > To me it says, “I’m saving up for a comb.” Me too. How someone with hair like that criticize someone else’s hair for being a rat’s nest with a straight face (and judging by her expression in the photo, she doesn’t have any other kind) I simply do not have any idea. > [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Photos of the two: > > [Carly Fiorina](http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1&sa=1&q=carly+fiorina&aq=0&aqi=g2&aql=&oq=carly+fi&gs_rfai=) > > [Barbara Boxer](http://www.google.com/images?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hl=en&source=imghp&q=Barbara+Boxer&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=) > > Of the two, I’d say that Miss Fiorina’s hair looks far more tended to, stylish, and effeminate. Her hair doesn’t look like that any more since the cancer–right now she has the pretty common post-chemo cut Erma Bombeck once described as a “mouse-brown beanie.” And it hits awkwardly above the ears and is brushed back, in a way no competent stylist would ever deliberately cut it. That’s the effect you get when you have a super-short cut and are trying to hide the fact that you haven’t had a trim in far too long. I recognize it from my own mirror. It _can_ mean “I have better things to think about than my hair” but what it more commonly means, ime, is “I’m growing it out,” or “I haven’t decided whether or not to grow it out.” Someone who honestly has far loftier priorities than her hair is unlikely to have sported the look she had in the linked photos (which is every bit as bleached and mussed as any of Boxer’s photos), unlikely to go to the effort of trying to hide those awkward patches, and certain unlikely to go around snarking on someone else’s hair or talking about how much they miss their hair. So I’m not really buying that interpretation. ---
**Author:** ![tesseract](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@tesseract](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tesseract)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/33 "2010-06-13T03:47:28Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I know a lot of people who were at HP when Fiorina was there, (now mostly spun off) and at the time they complained that while she was laying off people she was spending tons of HP money on hair stylists and corporate jets. This was before the cancer. They all pretty much universally hated her guts. They contrasted her to the CEO of the Agilent spinoff, who flew commercially and rented cars when visiting plants. I just know one, my brother, and his actual quality of life and job satisfaction plummeted after she started. She was despised. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/34 "2010-06-13T04:38:53Z")
You know, this kind of nonsense shows why they never should have allowed women the right to vote. Cause they’ll just make comments about the candidate’s hair and shit. So leave voting to the men, honey, and go get me a beer. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/35 "2010-06-14T19:22:19Z")
“…A veritable rat’s nest of white femininity.” I’ve looked at this string of words a dozen times and I still can’t figure it out. What_evar._ The lady is growing her hair out after chemo! Leave her alone! Senator Boxer looks great! Leave her alone! _Jeez!_ :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/36 "2010-06-14T19:35:23Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > I’m a woman and had the same impression. Both have bland, blondish, unoffensive, shortish hair. What could there possibly be to hate? How strange. Ditto. Also the pictures of Boxer in the link doen’t show dyed blonde hair. She’s just added a bunch of streaks. People do it for other reasons, but if I did it, I’d be hiding the grey. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/37 "2010-06-15T00:59:24Z")
Carly Fiorina is the politician who did the infamous [Demon Sheep Ad](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRY7wBuCcBY). Undoubtedly the weirdest and most hilarious political ad ever produced. Watch it. You will not regret it. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/38 "2010-06-15T22:28:15Z")
the demon sheep is one of my favourite ads. best evah! ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/39 "2010-06-16T11:45:35Z")
First of all **Pyper** , that Demon Sheep ad is hilarious! Secondly, I think it’s sad that people are so wrapped up in the femininity of politicians. Palin and Boxer are too pretty to be serious contenders, etc. (Note: I don’t like Palin, but that’s for reasons other than her prettiness.) A woman can be feminine, pretty, concerned about her appearance… and do other things! It’s not an all-or-nothing thing. I’m sure there are guys up there on the hill who are practically addicted to their Just For Men, who get expensive hair cuts and wear designer suits… where are the blogs about that? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806/40 "2010-06-16T14:50:29Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > First of all **Pyper** , that Demon Sheep ad is hilarious! > > Secondly, I think it’s sad that people are so wrapped up in the femininity of politicians. Palin and Boxer are too pretty to be serious contenders, etc. (Note: I don’t like Palin, but that’s for reasons other than her prettiness.) A woman can be feminine, pretty, concerned about her appearance… and do other things! It’s not an all-or-nothing thing. I’m sure there are guys up there on the hill who are practically addicted to their Just For Men, who get expensive hair cuts and wear designer suits… where are the blogs about that? Like the noise over Edwards and Clintons expensive haircuts. That was done. This is not new except it is women this time. It is Fiorina being catty and petty. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-senator-barbara-boxers-hairdo-a-veritable-rats-nest-of-white-femininity/542806.md?page=3)