LfT

[rm]

http://lettersfromtitan.com/2011/03/04/can-we-please-get-a-barbershop-for-dykes-around-here/

Comments

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Passed on to my housemate, who read it, agreed, and immediately retweeted. She's managed to train one particular stylist at the local Supercuts to use the clippers and make the back short enough, but dreads the idea of having to explain it to anyone else.

My problem is the opposite -- I wear my hair long and curly and I haven't had it cut in three or four years, because I hate explaining that NO I do not want layers, or bangs, or shaping... just tidy up the ends and leave it BE, and don't do anything that would make it LOOK shorter.

[random-girl.livejournal.com]

It costs a little more, but I went to a couple of actual salons and interviewed people (with hair cuts) over the course of about a year. I had a winner at the salon near my house. She asks enough questions that I feel like she's able to advise me as a hair stylist, but is not annoying about the choices I do make; I may have a husband at home, but she's clear that I am paying and that I tip well.

So. You'll hate it less if you find someone good and trainable (not everyone is as enlightened as we'd like) and return to them. The main problem I've found, so far, is that the really good ones move on pretty fast (out of my price range), but Marissa has been hanging in for a while as she and her husband go to college.

[nex0s.livejournal.com]

I'm not even a dyke and have to deal with this. Worst part - when I go to get my hair cut, I have them cut it with clippers. They charge men less for buzz cuts.

They always charge me the "ladies" price. At the barbershop, men's haircuts are $16 - ladies are $20.

At the salon, men's cuts are $25, ladies are $45.

CLIPPERS. And I have an afro. They don't even have to DO anything.

ARGH. So, yeah. Is it ok if this not-dyke lady goes to the dyke barber, because I sure as hell would prefer it over this crap!

N.

[dsmoen.livejournal.com]

I'm specific about how I want my hair: I want a Gidget cut because that's the only cut my hair will put up with. And yes, it is that strong-willed and I have to live with the consequences when people screw it up. A plain blunt cut at shoulder length when it's wet will take only a few minutes to do, but it takes me longer to argue that that's what it really really really wants.

It's not my personal favorite haircut, but it's the one that looks consistently good -- I'm simply not the kind of person to bother with my hair and argue it into submission on a regular basis.

As a consequence, I haven't had my hair cut since July, it was just too damn obnoxious last time.

[elusis.livejournal.com]

Darn, there don't seem to be any Floyd's 99 barbershops in New York. I went to the one in Denver for my femme lady cuts for years because they were reasonably priced, but also because they treated my butch lady friends well and gave them razor cuts at the same prices as men. Plus they used those back-of-the-hand vibrators to give you a shoulder and scalp massage after!

[rm.livejournal.com]

I"m nearly certain that that type of price differential is actually illegal in New York because I vaguely remember when they passed the law. Not that you necessarily want to have that fight.

And yeah, totally. I mean, ideally this whole thing would stop being evil for everyone who doesn't want Jennifer Aniston's haircut.

[heeroluva.livejournal.com]

Sadly the same can be said about any type of cut that isn't normal. :( I've had multiple instances in which a stylist told me that they wouldn't cut my hair that way. That's when I walk out.

It's my hair. Yes I know what I want. Yes I'm sure. If I don't like it, it'll grow back. If you don't cut off enough I'll let you know. Yes I really want it like the PICTURE since you can't seem to understand my words. Meh.

I had one stylist trained when I was in undergrad, but since then I have only had one cut I really enjoyed.

I'm them same that my cut should really be done every 4-6 weeks yet I tend to wait 2-3 months because I don't like dealing with it.

I don't understand it.

[freyas-fire.livejournal.com]

If you're ever in Philly, this place is on South Street.

http://www.styleofman.com/chopshop/

I buy my haircolor from Crash Bang Boom (formerly Zipperheads), and usually walk past the Chop Shop and a few hair salons.

I stopped going to salons a long time ago. I invested in a pair of barber shears and cut my own bangs and ends when needed. I've also gotten pretty good at shaving the necks of other people with an electric razor.
I cut about 8" off my hair on Samhain and actually got the back perfectly even. It takes practice, but minor stuff can be learned fairly easily.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I know where there's a Floyd's near me. Thanks for the tip!

[elusis.livejournal.com]

I can only vouch for the two Denver locations I frequented, but they were both extremely satisfactory. (I hate salons. I hate my hair. I hate hairstyles and haircuts and hair maintenance and hair everything. I went to Floyd's because I figured at least I could hate things while listening to good music. How I miss them, though I will say that my Chinese stylist in Oakland, Joyce, is a pip and makes things sort of tolerable.)

[shadowvalkyrie.livejournal.com]

Hell, yes! I have recently found a lady who does my hair the way I want it (basically a slightly femmed-up crew cut), but it was an odyssey to get there, because what I usually ended up with was either barely any shorter than I came with (and after a lot of fussing like you describe it), or some sort of exceedingly nerdy-looking quasi-page cut. And she talked all neutrally about dogs and the weather with me, too! No heteronormative bs! I didn't quite realise how much I resented it all before I found out that, yes, there are people who can do it differently. I'm so grateful! And I very much hope you find someone like that, too!

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

I would send you to Liquid when you are in Boston, where they are unlikely to ask questions and very likely to give you what you desire. It will cost more than Supercuts, but be worth it.

Also: Will the barbershop have a barbershop quartet? PLEASE SAY YES.

[gement.livejournal.com]

That is an impressive pile of bullshit. I was just thinking how lucky I was that my local cheap barbershops were clueful. I didn't realize how rare that was.