Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Two Different Views of Gray

I was talking with my wife this morning, and she told me that she needs to find a stylist who can do highlights at a reasonable price. Knowing that she didn't mean those yellow pens that you use when studying, I asked why she thought she needed this done. Her response was that she is tired of all of her gray hair.

Let me describe the level of gray in my wife's hair...maybe...MAYBE 1 - 3 %. I have far more gray than she does. But I have no desire to get highlights done or anything of that nature. Heck, I'm just glad that I still HAVE hair, but even these allies are deserting me quickly.

The Bible links gray hair with wisdom and glory. But in terms of human ego, gray represents something very different. Oh sure, many women will say that gray hair makes a man look distinguished. If that's so, why is Walt Frazier advertising Just For Men hair coloring? They are trying to convince us guys that we can't attract women unless we color our gray and make it brownish-orangeish color. No thanks.

But women see gray hair in themselves as a sign of old age. The first gray hair results in depression and mourning over lost youth. And men tend to view women with gray hair in a similar manner. Why? Why this form of discrimination? I don't have an answer to that.

Thankfully, "Madison Avenue", the world of advertisers, is starting to use some very attractive gray headed women in commercials. Maybe this can help to break the stigma.

Almost all of us get gray eventually, except for a few really freaky people who keep their color and I despise them horribly. Maybe someday, as long as gray hair still exists, we will see it as the Bible does and think how distinguished women look with that color as well.

1 comment:

Asia said...

I always planned to age gracefully and have never touched my hair with dye, but who knows? My family on my mom's dad's side has a tendency to hit 40 and turn white. I wouldn't mind a lil salt n' pepper, but I don't know if I am prepared to go white!