# What do you think of women who shave their heads? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 26, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772 "2011-04-26T14:55:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/61 "2011-04-27T05:03:15Z")
I think shaven heads look awful on both women and men. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/62 "2011-04-27T06:25:10Z")
The assumption that the pursuit of beauty is an obligation or even a benefit for female-identified people is uglier than a shaved head on anyone of any gender could ever be. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/63 "2011-04-27T13:00:51Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > “I don’t care, it’s her hair” shouldn’t be an option. Of course it’s her hair and she can do whatever she wants with it. But people can still have an opinion about how it looks. Except the poll actually asks ‘what do you think of women who shave their heads’, rather than ‘do you like the look of shaven heads on women?’, though most of the options seems to actually answer the second question. I answered ‘I don’t care’, as whether or not I think it’s an attractive look doesn’t really change my view of the woman. I’d probably be a bit impressed if someone I thought of as really girly and fashionable decided to do it, as I’m not really into girly fashion, and would find that a bit more interesting, but several of my friends have shaved their heads at various times and I really don’t care one way or the other. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/64 "2011-04-27T14:16:17Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Like most polls this one is badly broken. > > Firstly, it comprises a series of specific options that are by no means complete. Probably unintentionally, it encourages people into categories into which they don’t precisely fit, resulting in skewed results. > > Secondly, it is highly biased towards the positive, since it provides a reasonable range of positive options, one neutral, and two extreme negatives (“never be done” and “ridiculous”) that many are going to be reluctant to choose. > > Thirdly, there is no balance. The postive and negative options are (at least in significant part) not even asking about the same thing. The positive options are mostly subjective statements about the answerers’ subjective feelings about how the shaved person looks to them, while the negative options are (or are close to being) highly judgmental statements about the shaved person’s behaviour. > > The poll says far more about the pollster’s views than the answerers’. > > FTR, I don’t find a shaven head attractive on a female. I don’t think it’s ridiculous, or that it “should never be done”. > > Really, we need a sticky at the top of IMHO about the very basics of writing a good poll. I’m not using it for any kind of peer-reviewed study. I’m actually gathering general opinions because I’ve been considering shaving my head myself (if that wasn’t obvious). I mean, I could easily have asked the same question without the poll, but the poll seemed to make it more interesting. Sorry it’s not sufficiently scientifically-rigorous for you. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/65 "2011-04-27T14:18:04Z")
I tend to go with the Starship Troopers quote, paraphrased since I don’t have it handy: “If she looked good with hair, she’ll probably look pretty good without it.” ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/66 "2011-04-27T14:18:18Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > I’m not using it for any kind of peer-reviewed study. I’m actually gathering general opinions because I’ve been considering shaving my head myself (if that wasn’t obvious). I mean, I could easily have asked the same question without the poll, but the poll seemed to make it more interesting. Sorry it’s not sufficiently scientifically-rigorous for you. 😉 This might sound silly, but if you are gonna do it, and are not sure you’ll like it, find a hat or two you like beforehand! ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/67 "2011-04-27T14:18:22Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > I’m not using it for any kind of peer-reviewed study. I’m actually gathering general opinions because I’ve been considering shaving my head myself (if that wasn’t obvious). I mean, I could easily have asked the same question without the poll, but the poll seemed to make it more interesting. Sorry it’s not sufficiently scientifically-rigorous for you. 😉 Based on what I’ve learned about your personality from the boards, I think a shaved head would suit you well. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/68 "2011-04-27T14:19:04Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > I’m not using it for any kind of peer-reviewed study. I’m actually gathering general opinions because I’ve been considering shaving my head myself (if that wasn’t obvious). I mean, I could easily have asked the same question without the poll, but the poll seemed to make it more interesting. Sorry it’s not sufficiently scientifically-rigorous for you. 😉 Well, I’d be wary of using it to aid your own decision making for the same reasons he listed–the way it’s set up, it skews toward positive opinions. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/69 "2011-04-27T14:36:22Z")
I chose “don’t care, her hair” but I see nothing brave about it and I find it rarely looks good. In fact I think in general long hair is the best look for most women. That is my aesthetic opinion. The brave part I don’t understand at all. Why is it brave? ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/70 "2011-04-27T14:53:28Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I chose “don’t care, her hair” but I see nothing brave about it and I find it rarely looks good. In fact I think in general long hair is the best look for most women. That is my aesthetic opinion. The brave part I don’t understand at all. Why is it brave? For the same reason that it’s brave to go out in public (for females in the US anyway) with unshaven legs or armpits. Bucking of social norms is rarely done without intent, and perhaps anxiety. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/71 "2011-04-27T14:55:43Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > For the same reason that it’s brave to go out in public (for females in the US anyway) with unshaven legs or armpits. Bucking of social norms is rarely done without intent, and perhaps anxiety. That seems like a pretty minor bit of bravery. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/72 "2011-04-27T15:11:38Z")
A shaved head on a woman (or a man) is just one more fashion choice. Works for some people better then others. Or maybe they’re having chemo. (I remember when guys with just slightly longish hair risked Assault By Redneck.) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/73 "2011-04-27T15:12:01Z")
What’s a fella supposed to pull on when you’re doing the nasty? ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/74 "2011-04-27T15:13:44Z")
If resisting social norms is the point one is trying to make by doing this, it doesn’t seem like much of a point. Not very profound. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/75 "2011-04-27T15:17:32Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > What’s a fella supposed to pull on when you’re doing the nasty? Conventionally, the ears. I’ve got good mileage out of eyebrows, though. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/76 "2011-04-27T15:21:05Z")
> [@the lone cashew](#): > > If resisting social norms is the point one is trying to make by doing this, it doesn’t seem like much of a point. Not very profound. If resisting social norms is, in fact, the reason, it strikes me as something a teenager would do, not an adult. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/77 "2011-04-27T15:27:25Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > That seems like a pretty minor bit of bravery. But it isn’t not-brave. It only needs to be a tiny sliver of bravery to qualify as not-unbrave. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/78 "2011-04-27T15:28:12Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > If resisting social norms is, in fact, the reason, it strikes me as something a teenager would do, not an adult. I was just thinking something similar, thought about saying something like “this head shaving will just be another thing you did when you were young that you rollie eye laugh about later on in life.” And then I started to feel old so I decided to keep my mouth shut. :o ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/79 "2011-04-27T15:29:21Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > But it isn’t not-brave. It only needs to be a tiny sliver of bravery to qualify as not-unbrave. Can I have permission to use this as a sig line? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/80 "2011-04-27T15:34:13Z")
> [@the lone cashew](#): > > Can I have permission to use this as a sig line? 😉 Doesn’t bother me. Well, it would bother me a little bit if you’re going to use it to make fun of me, but I wouldn’t presume to stop you. I don’t have sigs turned on anyway so I wouldn’t see it 😛 I don’t plan to talk about my reasons for considering it. If I had, I would have made a thread entitled “Do you think I should shave my head?” and explained it. So keep wondering or assume the worst, if you will. It’s still an interesting polarizing discussion to have. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772.md?page=5)