Hair length on men?(a gender study)?

Question

In American culture, long hair on men was popularized in the 60s as an anti-establishment message. What message, if any does it carry today?
Is long hair on men widely accepted in the workplace, or is it ok only in specific occupations? In what occupations is it not acceptable?

Answer 1

It depends on the position and occupation and the culture of the office. There is wide range of acceptable/unacceptable in corporate America.

All of my sales and back office people have dress codes, as do my consultants. However, the code does not cover hair or jewelry.

I have a highly skilled male consultant with very long hair and earrings (yes, both ears). He works on the commercial side. However, that dress and grooming would never work for my government or health care clients.

I would never present him in a sales or marketing scenario. However, in the commercial venue in which he works his hair and grooming are acceptable.

So, it all depends.

Answer 2

The message I've always thought mine carries is "I don't feel like getting a haircut."

But seriously, as for it being appropriate or not, there are still some old hiring managers who remember the '60s and consider any male with long hair a filthy hippy who wants to spread his liberal poison around the office. An uncle of mine who used to have long hair was forced to cut it when he was job-hunting because he kept getting odd looks during the interviews.

Also, I've had long-hair since I was 14 or so, and I do notice a difference in the way I'm treated in certain occasions. For instance, any time I have ever been pulled over, even for the most minor and asinine thing, I've been given a ticket. I'm polite as can be and fully cooperative, but I'll inevitably get some redneck cop who just KNOWS I have pot stashed inside the dashboard.

As far as the workplace goes, I'd guess the more "liberal" your job would be considered, the more likely you are to encounter fewer people who have problems with a male with long hair. I teach at a university...so there ya go.

Honestly, it just grows thick and looks good on me. I'd prefer there not have to be any "message" imparted beyond that, but there are some idiots out there who wear their prejudices on their sleeves.

Answer 3

i don't think it carries any real message accept individuality. it is, i believe, more accepted in the workplace today than it was in the 60's and 70's. there were different connotations associated with it at that time. it was automatically assumed,by society, that long hairs did drugs or were evil in some way. now, while it still isn't the norm due to the changes in styles, it is more widely accepted or not even given a second thought. nearly anything goes in today's world. sometimes thats a good thing and sometimes i'ts not.

Answer 4

I've found as I get older (nearing 40), I'm more concerned with function than form when it comes to a person's dress, hair, tattoos, piercings, etc. I keep my hair in a crew cut by shaving it down every two or three weeks. I do this because I swim a few times per week and having short hair means it doesn't get in the way as much when I swim, and it's easier to deal with the adverse effects of chlorine. Hair style and length is a personal matter, but I've found the older I get the more pragmatism takes a priority regarding what I wear and how my body looks.

Answer 5

I don't think that long hair is still widely accepted in the workplace for most occupations. Corporate America wants men to be clean shaven and well-groomed.

Answer 6

It depends on how long we are talking about. If it is above the shoulders and styled that is acceptable in most occupations. Longer than that I don't think is really that acceptable in the business world. Most of the time it carries the message of "I am stuck in the past".

Answer 7

i think today it is more about the style than the length. a man may have any length hair for many jobs, as long as his hygiene regarding the hair is clean and pulled back. i've seen ceo types with ponies and dreadies, but never in their face. today, the statement made is not really a statement but a preference. it is all relative to the man and the style of the long hair. there are too many variants to clump all long haired men together. it would be like saying "women who were heels..."

Answer 8

long haired men are seen as floaty pot heads. so mostly longhaired men are bikers, musicians, artist or dope dealers.
my boyfriend is longhaired, and i think my mother nearly got a heart attach when she saw him first. byt he's a good goy, with a stable job.
i cant see how extenal appearances should make a difference of what job you or how seriously you are taken.
if you are neat, clean and presentable, why should it make any impact on your ability to do a job or contribute to society?
stupid example, i have a nose ring. i cant find a decent, stable job. why, cause of that piece of metal in my nose. im intelligent, stable, i have a house, car, insurance and pets that are well looked after. i pay my bills on time, i have no criminal record. i smoke weed on occasion, and may a line of dust.
but that doest make me a better or worse contender for a job than the clean cut pris lady who wears her hair in a bun, and flat heeled shoes.
people should be judged on the content of their character, and not the colour and style of their hair.
alas, it may never be so.

Answer 9

I find that most companies don't really care about hair length as long as the guy is clean. Some occupations it is a safety hazzard, such as manufacturing and construction.

Answer 10

Long hair carries the message "I do what I want" and "I don't conform to the mass." While long hair is acceptable for self employers, artists, and casual jobs, it is often looked down upon in corporations.