Today the American Bar Association’s online news site brings us a hard-hitting piece of journalism on . . . . women’s hair.
Well, not just any women’s hair, thank goodness. The ABA has not transformed overnight into an In Style knock off.
Yet.
In an article entitled, “Is Long Hair a Bad Choice for Older Career Women,” Debra Cassens Weiss suggests that women over forty who wear their hair long “are making a mistake.”
Admittedly Weiss is quoting from a post at The Careerist, an American Lawyer Media site featuring today, directly beneath the hair post, an article called “Corporate Lawyer Pens Cookbook About Weeds.” Weiss goes on to quote the author of The Careerist hair piece, writing that Hillary Clinton’s hair has been “growing like an unruly potted plant” and that she looks “haggard and rumpled.” According to Weiss, The Careerist spoke with “a California entertainment lawyer and a law firm consultant” for further information. The lawyer – who, for the love of God, should be outed and immediately shunned – said that for older women, “[e]ven if the hair is long, glossy, and well-maintained, the juxtaposition of aging or—to be politically correct—’mature’ facial features and youthful hairstyle doesn’t work[.]”
Yes, Weiss is only highlighting a post featured in another online publication. But Weiss is also writing for the American Bar Association. And she should know better.
I’d be less thoroughly pissed off if Weiss offered some response to this ludicrously vapid piece of reporting. Surely there is someone out there capable of offering a more reasoned commentary on the current Secretary of State for the United States than that her hair has gone vegetative. But if there is, the ABA is not interested in finding him or her. He or she will remain, alas, forever unquoted.
And I point this out because it follows rather closely on the heels of another, admittedly more local, journalistic gaffe here in Maryland. Last week, the local legal paper, The Maryland Daily Record, published a piece on its online blog, On The Record, which discussed opportunities for women on the bench. I can’t link to the article itself because it has been summarily pulled from the site in response to a wave of criticism from women lawyers and judges, and to the paper’s credit it has since apologized. The objectionable material included the use of a photo of the Spice Girls. I am fairly certain – but correct me if I’m wrong, certainly – that if United States Magistrate Judge Paul W. Grimm is formally elevated to the bench of the United States District Court for Maryland, the Daily Record will not illustrate its coverage of the event with a photograph of Justin Beiber.
I attended a bar association meeting recently and the Spice Girls conundrum was the topic of conversation in a way it really hasn’t been since Posh became Victoria Beckham. And one of the points I heard made repeatedly was that there is a real disconnect between older women lawyers and their younger, Gen Y counterparts when it comes to issues like these. The author of the Spice Girls post appears to be a member of the Gen Y camp. And she is not a lawyer, although she wrote her article under the Maryland Daily Record masthead, so presumably she had some oversight. I have heard some calling for “sensitivity training” for younger women, as if to be a woman demanding respectful treatment is to have a disability. Sensitivity isn’t really the issue. Real world experience, and familiarity with history, is.
Perhaps these younger women have never experienced the pleasure of appearing at opposing counsel’s office for a deposition, only to be invited to set up their court reporting equipment in the conference room. Or of being called “sweetheart” or “hon” (an old Baltimore favorite) or “babe.” But I worry that in fact they have, and that instead of being taken aback they take it in stride. As if being condescended to is a cost of doing business as a female.
Is it? Should it be?
Is there a point at which the members of a traditionally disadvantaged class are expected to put down their weapons – assuming they ever wielded any to begin with – and make nice? Is that what is happening here?
I contemplated closing this post with a reference to the Lady Gaga song, “Hair,” in which she chants repeatedly that she is “as free as [her] hair.” And that would be cute, possibly, and would give me the opportunity to include a Lady Gaga picture, which might just drive some traffic to this page. And screw that, because the willingness to do and say anything in the name of driving traffic is quite possibly a major part of the heretofore described disconnect. Attention is not self-justifying.
I sincerely hope that in the race to appear on the first page of Google, we are not sacrificing what we learned in other, older, and less virtual contexts.
July 27, 2012 at 5:22 pm
Interesting blog on hair. Thanks for sharing. http://www.segmation.wordpress.com
July 27, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Wow. Just…wow.
I would quip “slow news day/week/month,” but sadly, that’s not it at all; this is clearly a strategic decision to pander.
July 27, 2012 at 6:18 pm
Hair today /Gone tomorrow.
Such about sums up 24 / 7
govt’s / Media Propaganda.
July 27, 2012 at 6:34 pm
I’m not my hair either which is not saying much. There is a lot of meaningless drivel floating around that’s supposed to be profound however it isn’t. Liked the blog. Come visit mine and my links and leave some comments.
July 27, 2012 at 6:42 pm
I think its fine for people to have opinions about this, but isn’t writing an article about the acceptable length of an “older” woman’s hair a little much?
July 27, 2012 at 6:57 pm
I love this!!! I actually posted on all the fascination surrounding the new Yahoo CEO and the media’s obsession with women’s fashion and hair in the workplace just this morning. It is astounding. We think we have come so far – and then we are hit with another piece like this. Amazing. Thanks for a thoughtful post! BTW – I am originally from Baltimore, so this post made me a little homesick! Thanks again!
July 27, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Considering that the MSM is primarily geared towards women and their interests and that many journalists – term used loosely – are indeed female; the shallowness of their focus on outward appearance is hardly astounding. After all vanity thy name is women.
July 27, 2012 at 7:12 pm
You don’t know me and this may seem crazy, but OMG! really? OMG! really? I tend to repeat myself when I’m OMG! really? in disbelief of stupidity. Thanks for sharing this information. Stupid is coming at us from all directions these days – I don’t want to say too much, lest I have to post a public apology, but OMG! really? 🙂
July 27, 2012 at 8:29 pm
And all older male judges and lawyers need to sport beards and mustaches because it conveys their wisdom and worldliness.
Seriously?
July 27, 2012 at 10:33 pm
hmmm.
Maybe the toughest thing about getting older as a career woman (but I’m not a lawyer. Just a former law librarian who served both lawyers and judges…), is like what a parent has to do with adult younger generations, say bare minimum and let the younger generation learn the hard lessons in subtle sexism in various professions….(it’s no big secret in the 2lst century, that female lawyers aren’t still the majority as a senior partners in major law firms in North America or female judges are still minority in many court jursidictions…probably worldwide. There is an international association of female judges. And there is a reason for this.)
It gets tougher at times to keep one’s mouth shut and not share life experiences.
From a 50+ feminist.
July 28, 2012 at 2:25 am
No, seriously, don’t do that. Younger women need to hear, because they may not understand it in the earlier days of their career, but they will start to experience it. And when they do they need to know that they are not crazy, being unreasonable, or ‘it’s just me’ type thing. Equality doesn’t just happen, we do need to work for it and fight for it – sometimes. Calling out the bullshit and double standards is a good first step. I remember somewhere in the mid-1980s having some long discussions with women and feminists who had come of age in the 50s and 60s. We have made some progress but its not over yet. It helped me to appreciate that equality was a long-term project and that we do have a history of fighting for the right to work and be taken seriously as professionals. The good stuff about where we are now didn’t “just happen”.
Your stories are part of that history, and they can often help younger women to contextualise their own experiences. As I said they may not always understand or appreciate what you are saying now, but they will remember them. Some of those women I talked about earlier have now left this world, but the things they taught me have stayed with me. I appreciate them and understand now in ways that I couldn’t possibly have 20 years ago. Some of what they said then helps me now.
I’m not a lawyer, but all professions have their issues. What matters is that we keep pushing forwards towards a more equal world for everyone.
July 28, 2012 at 12:01 pm
“Your stories are part of that history, and they can often help younger women to contextualise their own experiences. As I said they may not always understand or appreciate what you are saying now, but they will remember them. Some of those women I talked about earlier have now left this world, but the things they taught me have stayed with me. I appreciate them and understand now in ways that I couldn’t possibly have 20 years ago. Some of what they said then helps me now.”
Guess it’s a matter of how one gives advice or weaves that experience in a way that the other person will listen.
But sometimes it’s getting younger women involved in bigger front-line issues to change how services, policies and yes, lobby for legislative changes.
Not just sit back and gripe, gossip and get into petty silly stuff/minor negativity vs. much larger social justice issues.
July 27, 2012 at 10:58 pm
Re: Sorry, American Bar Association, I Am Not My Hair
______________________
Nor are aging career females like Hillary paragons of feminine elegance and virtue either.
July 28, 2012 at 8:59 am
Nor should they be.
July 28, 2012 at 9:12 am
Instead they have intentionally chosen to cultivate the very worst and despicable traits of the male gender.
July 28, 2012 at 1:30 am
Good Story
July 28, 2012 at 1:54 am
Whatever. I feel that a woman’s hair is one of the basic pieces to asserting her femininity. I’m so sorry that you have to deal with that.
July 28, 2012 at 3:16 am
Great post like it very much…
July 28, 2012 at 7:08 am
I really enjoyed this, I wrote something similar about female role models in publishing. Real women seem to have to dumb themselves down and make nice all to often. Anyone seen as not playing nice must be a bitch, rather than an intelligent women wanting to be seen as an equal.
July 28, 2012 at 7:51 am
First, I’m sick of Victoria Beckham. She’s the LAST person they should be talking to about this. Who the hell died and made her ambassador of style? Bad enough she styled the interior of the 2012 Range Rover. Are you kidding me?? She’s an expert all of a sudden on automotive engineering? She needs to worry about maybe putting a couple pounds on. She’s sickly thin these days.
I’m over 50. I have long hair. It’s grey in the front, brown for the rest.
This is why there’s Loreal, Clarol, Garnier, and hair stylist.
If you’re a female lawyer, over 50 and have long hair, grey or not, style it! Show some pride in yourself. You’re getting paid big bucks! Spend some of it on yourself! Because Gen Y is going to be walking all over you! Yep, you have competition no matter how man years you’ve been practicing law. Looks will get your everywhere!
Color it. Have it styled to fit your age. Keep that style STYLED! Learn to apply your makeup appropriately! There is nothing less professional than seeing some middle aged woman, lawyer or not, dressed like she just came back from the local bingo game! Or trying to look like she’s 25 again!
July 28, 2012 at 9:22 am
So glad I don’t have to deal with this anymore. I just left my career as an attorney to pursue a career in food. Thanks for reminding me, again, that I made the right choice.
July 28, 2012 at 9:52 am
Media has been controlling perceptions of women and their role for years, predominantly in a negative way. It sadly continues to be a balance for the individual to meet perceptions and be true to who they are. As for me, I LIKE my long hair and 56 year old face together, but after all, I am NOT my hair………..
July 28, 2012 at 10:27 am
This makes me soooo mad!!
1. This will only cause strife amongst powerful women (Baby boomers vs Gen X vs Gen Y). Why are we fighting over our tiny piece of the pie instead of banding together and fighting for an even BIGGER piece of the pie?
Younger gens need older gens because they have the wisdom, experience (and hopefully) patience that younger gens might lack. Older gens need younger gens because they have the energy, fresh ideas, and (potential) knowledge of technology that older gens might lack.
The article is in poor taste, not because its an affront to older women, but because its an affront to all women everywhere.
2. WHY why why is society so obsessed with every minute choice a woman makes? Do we care whether a man wears a bow tie or a neck tie? Do we care whether he has a beard or is clean shaven? Why do we care about hair length, hair styles, or *gasp* the First Lady showing arm?
Enough!
I have had it with society trying to control, guilt and manipulate every decision I make. Sometimes I get so fearful of this upcoming election, because I am afraid I am going to lose my rights as a woman. And I’m just now getting up the confidence to want to do big things with my life. I don’t want to lose the option.
POWERFUL WOMEN EVERY WHERE: I need your help. And you need mine. Lets embrace that fact.
~Sonja Braun
PS: Jennifer, I had a blog already in the works about women’s issues, but you just gave me an idea for another one. Thank you for the inspiration.
July 28, 2012 at 11:12 am
Not surprised to see my Bar Association (in Germany) is not the only one wasting members’ fees.
July 28, 2012 at 11:15 am
Women really are judged, even more than men, by their appearance – particularly if it looks professional. It can affect a career trajectory. That much of course, I accept. And in a sense, I think the author of the article was in her own way making the point that women are more than their hair – that they can sacrifice their hair to fit a certain look that may be considered more professional by more traditional generations. Or you can say, oh well, I understand the risk, screw it. I am Indian, and my hair will always be long – and I hope one day it will have two giant silver streaks at the temples like my grandmother and I’ll look like a sorceress and cackle at everyone who says I need to get a bob for the sake of practicality and convention!
July 28, 2012 at 2:00 pm
I posted earlier, but I think it didn’t register. Please pardon if this is a duplicate.
Young women really don’t understand, because the women before them have done a good enough job that they haven’t experienced what we (and those before us) did. They will, and then what they now hear as feminist carping will suddenly make sense.
When the ABA has an article about bald spots, comb-overs, toupees, and ponytails, I’ll be interested to see it.
July 28, 2012 at 2:12 pm
Oh well. I used to work at a high powered firm and watched the women drop like flies. The pretty ones became wives of powerful men or left for jobs with better hours or better future, but it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. If a woman actually wanted to stay at a firm and become partner instead of leaving for a in-house gig? Tough going. I can’t remember seeing a female lawyer over 50 in a firm. (And my firm was over 100 years old.) Plenty of older dudes, with second, younger trophy wives. So if women seem to disappear in professional life, in law firms, board rooms, entertainment, etc., after a certain age, perhaps it’s off putting when we do see them and it’s all like– but what’s with her hair? Like seeing a unicorn and commenting on its tail. Oh well. It’s a tough gig, being a woman and not being in her 20’s or 30’s. But young women have it hard, too, because now they are expected to dress and act like a babe — walk in 5 inch heels, wear short tight skirts, make-up and hair like a porn star ,all while doing complex legal analysis and working 80 hour weeks, but the second trophy wives don’t like them around and they aren’t taken seriously by the boys and their secretaries hate working for women, and then there is — sexual harassment and gender discrimination. The guys are told to tone it down, too, to be fair. Very few of the guys had facial hair, the hair on their heads must be kept short — but not too short, they had no visible tattoos, their wives had to be respectable, etc. But still, they are allowed to be comfortable, and they are allowed to get older. Sigh.
It’s a conservative profession. And young people can be the most conservative, “Mom, you need to look like a mom!” or “Why is she here, she’s like 40!” Sigh.
I used to practice employment law, I’ve seen so much crap I’m rarely outraged or surprised these days.
Anyway, nice post. Congrats on FP!
July 29, 2012 at 4:03 am
Our Founding Fathers, mostly lawyers, wore their hair (wigs) bouffant style without a hitch. What’s good for them ought be good for the rest of the colonies… but then again, they also endowed us with certain unalienable Constitutional rights. That’s been out of style for a Century now.
July 30, 2012 at 9:20 pm
According to a study by the UC Davis Graduate School of Management in California, just over 10% of the board seats and top paying positions in California’s 400 largest publicly held companies are held by women. Over 30% of these same companies have no women at all in their top executive position or on their boards of directors. Only 13 of these companies have a woman CEO. Yet today more women enroll in college each year than men and where three decades ago, women chose careers in math at a ratio of 13 to 1, today that ratio is 3 to 1. We’re gaining ground — slow and steady wins the race, eh? — but it kills me to watch Gen Y give it all away. Sarah Palin got to where she is because she’s a MILF, my male colleagues tell me, and Hilary is not president today because she is not. Yet for sheer brain power, our Secretary of State who’s had quite a nice run of it, btw, can run circles around our former Alaskan Gov. Yet who gets the press? The cute one. Sometimes it’s the scrappy one, but rarely is it the brainy one unless you’re a dude with an eccentric and lovable personality like Einstein. My hair’s been long since I was a kid, I’m a lawyer, and I’m at the mistake making age of long hair wearing, but the funny thing is, I don’t care. Years ago, maybe, but now, why bother? I agree with the comment about Gen Y not knowing what it took to get us here. If they needed to put on pearls and vacuum the carpet like June Cleaver maybe they wouldn’t be so quick to wear stiletto heels to work — reminiscent of foot binding in not-so-ancient China, I might add. We girls are our own worst enemy. We need to love ourselves a little more, maybe not be the world’s lap dog, and most definitely do a better job of sticking together. Manage these things and watch the world change, and quick. Let’s evolve, ladies, not revolve!
July 30, 2012 at 9:46 pm
According to a study by the UC Davis Graduate School of Management in California, just over 10% of the board seats and highest paying positions in California’s 400 largest publicly held companies are held by women. Over 30% of these same companies have no women at all in their top executive position or on their boards of directors. Only 13 of these companies have a woman CEO. Yet today more women enroll in college each year than men and while three decades ago, women chose careers in math at a ratio of 13 to 1, today that ratio is 3 to 1. We\’re gaining ground — slow and steady wins the race, eh? — but it kills me to watch Gen Y give it all away. Sarah Palin got to where she is because she’s a MILF, my male colleagues tell me, and Hilary is not president today because she is not. Yet for sheer brain power, our Secretary of State who’s had quite a nice run of it, btw, can run circles around our former Alaskan Gov. Yet who gets the press? The cute one. Sometimes it’s the scrappy one, but rarely is it the brainy one unless you’re a dude with an eccentric and lovable personality like Einstein. My hair’s been long since I was a kid, I’m a lawyer, and I’m at the mistake making age of long hair wearing, but the funny thing is, I don’t care. Years ago, maybe, but now, why bother? I agree with the comment about Gen Y not knowing what it took to get us here. If they needed to put on pearls and vacuum the carpet like June Cleaver maybe they wouldn’t be so quick to wear stiletto heels to work — reminiscent of foot binding in not-so-ancient China, I might add. We girls are our own worst enemy. We need to love ourselves a little more, maybe not be the world’s lap dog, and most definitely do a better job of sticking together. Manage these things and watch the world change, and quick. Let’s evolve, ladies, not revolve!