why are blonde's thought of as bimbo's and airhead's.Where does the idea orginate from?

Answer 1

I always wondered about this (or at least every since my very bright, very blonde sister, began emailing me dumb blonde jokes). So here's a collection of what I've learned.

Before I list the details, I would suggest that my sister's response is a key to understanding the way the theme functions TODAY. That is, the MODERN "dumb blond" theme --whatever its roots (no pun intended)-- has often been used as a very deliberate JOKE, whether it involves guys falling for the blonde and overlooking the smarter brunette OR the supposedly dumb blonde coming out better than those who admired her looks but questioned her intelligence.


First, here's a wikipedia link that suggests several possible origins (correct or not, they are a good record of the main theories): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/dumb_blonde

And here's my own summary of these and other ideas, with an assessment of the various suggestions:

1) YOUTH: The association of fair-hairedness with youth, therefore naivete, and perhaps a resulting tendency to treat adult blondes --who appear more like children?-- as young and simple. (I'm a bit skeptical of this explanation, at least as a central reason. I also know of no evidence that blonde women were typically treated as 'more simple' than other women.)

2) PROSTITUTES, PERFORMERS ETC:
The popularity of light-colored hair led many southern Europeans to dye theirs; this was especially common among courtesans and later prostitutes.

..a) Some suggest that this led society in general (perhaps esp. nervous or jealous wives) to ease their concern about such women by viewing them as 'beautiful...but not very bright' (and so, perhaps, less threatening?)

..b) Perhaps (my idea) some of these 'beautiful women' (not necessarily just prostitutes) THEMSELVES adopted a style and mannerisms that would make them appear younger, simpler, less threatening --which might make them BOTH more attractive to men AND less threatening to other women?
(Obviously, (a) and (b) could work together.)

3) BRAIN DAMAGE from BLEACH. The potency of old bleaches actually caused brain damage in some individuals, hence the image was encouraged by instances of genuinely daft blondes. (Intriguing idea, but I know of no documentary evidence for such cases or for any stories or stereotypes about them, esp. about dumb prostitutes.)

4) RECENT POPULAR CULTURE - portrayals in books, film...

...a) For some time fair-haired heroes were typical of English literature. Then, around 1800 it became popular to portray fair-haired damsels as pretty and sweet but perhaps a bit simple/shallow, while their plainer brunette sisters would have the brains and often be the central character. (examples: Austen's *Pride and Prejudice*, Bronte's *Jane Eyre*, Alcott's *Little Women*)

...b) The popular 1925 Anita Loos novel (and shortly after that, play) *Gentlemen Prefer Blondes* featured a dumb-blonde songstress, fond of rich men and diamonds...
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9053433

...c) The film portrayals by Marilyn Monroe and others BUILT on and spread this stereotype (Monroe, in fact, starred in the screen version of Loos's book.) You might also think of the gorgeous, dim-witted silent screen star "Singing in the Rain" (whom they try to keep silent in interviews, and who cannot survive the jump to "talkies").

Note that these "dumb blondes" (and their immediate predecessors --early 20th century comediennes like Mary Pickford) were mainly PERCEIVED as dumb, but somehow managed to get the best of others. In other words, the portrayal of these women as "dumb blondes" might be used to poke fun at that very notion. (A similar twist would be the country bumpkin who bests the savvy city-slicker or the detective [often not a professional] who appears simple and whom no one takes seriously [from Miss Marple to Columbo] but who sees more than all the experts who dismiss them.)

The last of these is the only one for which we have much hard evidence, and is probably enough of an explanation on its own. (The most recent, and hugely popular expression of it is the smash broadway hit "Wicked". Glinda is seen as "good", though she is a bit shallow and self-centered, but she really grows up by her friendship with the smarter, often kinder Elphaba ['Wicked witch of the West'].)

But it's entirely possible that more than one of these "causes" worked TOGETHER. Even if Loos, and a group of blonde starlets established to stereotype, what suggested this image to her in the first place? The earlier popular literaure likely played a role. More generally, the beauty/glamor part of it may have been rooted in the old European attraction to fair hair. Whether the "dumb" part was ALSO based on images (socially created or self-chosen) of the manner of such women or was more Loos's own creation to give interest to this bumpkin character -- a portrayal that then caught on-- is difficult to say. But the fact that this character was a simple country girl --DIFFERENT from the sophisticated beauties-- makes me tend to think that Loos herself should get the real credit.

Answer 2

Some people judge too soon and just because you have good book grades, doesn't mean you have the experience of life to know about common sense things yet. Age and maturity have ton's to do with being taken seriously.

Answer 3

Just my off the wall theory - bimbos airheads and hosebeasts who have limited intellects often rely on their sexuality to gain any advantage in life. Bleaching their hair blond is another trick to set them apart from the crowd and give them an advantage they wouldn't otherwise have.

Answer 4

Are you blonde yourself? You have three apostrophes where there shouldn't be any. You have spelt 'originate' incorrectly. You have not used a capital at the beginning of the first sentence.
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Answer 5

I gotta agree with Martin. I really get tired of those apostrophes.

Okay, now to the question. There's a really good article about it at AskMen.com. Here's the address:

http://www.askmen.com/fashion/austin/54_fashion_style.html

Very interesting.
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Answer 6

Probably because they don't know that apostrophes are not used to construct plural word forms.

Answer 7

cause some are