Long Hair

It happened again today.

I bumped into someone I haven't seen in a while and voila! she took it upon herself to comment about my long hair and asked if I am allowed to wear it long. I have grown used to it already - including unsolicited comments about how to take care of my hair, how to make sure one does not have tangles, etc. Just an aside: why do some people think it is okay to make comments about another person's appearance as a greeting? For example: uy taba mo ngayon ha..or di bagay suot mo. Ehhhhh?

I still get slightly annoyed when people suggest that I should not have long hair at all because it does not look professional. Excuse me?

Women can have long hair, but men can't? Women can cut and style their hair very short like those of men, but men can not have long hair? Where is it written that men should have short hairs? Even Jesus Christ and most of the prophets did have long hair.

For the record, I have highly personal reasons (and they are valid!) for wearing my hair long. I do not necessarily like it because it takes such a lot of effort to groom and it can be pretty inconvenient sometimes (try reading something in a moving vehicle with your view constantly being blocked by hair). Plus it does get itchy on the face when hair scratches skin. But I have made a commitment and I am sticking to it.

I think that people should respect other people's choices. I think that the measure should be hygiene and aesthetics. You want long hair? Then make sure it is clean looking and keep it neat. Be responsible. Otherwise, as the song goes "anong paki mo sa long hair ko, inggit ka lang kasi ikaw nakakalbo!"

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