In the wake of the 2024 presidential election, a mother to three children, living with the hair loss condition alopecia, achieved internet notoriety. She challenged the actions taken by some liberal women, who, in response to the election results, were shaving their heads. These women were rallying in solidarity with a movement that had its roots in South Korea. The cause was born out of frustration over gender inequality, wage differences, and violence towards women, with the radical idea proposing a boycott on romantic or familial attachments with men.
The resounding call of this societal pushback was for women to refrain from engaging in heterosexual relationships, dating, and even marriage and childbirth for a total of four years. The backlash from this display of unity caught the devoted mother off-guard, when in the dark of the night, her feed was suddenly filled with demonstrations of cropped heads.
Driven by a sense of duty to correct this perceived wrong, the mother chose to voice out her anguish. In her viral video, she pleaded with the viewing public to reconsider their actions. ‘Stop,’ she earnestly urged. ‘Stop. There are individuals who have no choice but to live without their hair…like me. Losing my hair was a bitter pill to swallow.’
Her raw sentiment and appeal didn’t go unnoticed. It resonated with another internet user, sharing his own tale of grief from losing his young wife to breast cancer at the tender age of 32. He mourned the devastation that accompanied her tragic hair loss too. ‘She was breathtaking,’ he shared. ‘Just as you are. My heart aches for her. These women have no idea of the real impact.’
As liberal women were gripping their shears and razors, boldly displaying their new bare scalps on social media, a majority of those clips seemed to have disappeared. The mother expressed her disapproval of the act, finding it distasteful for women to intentionally shave their heads in pursuit of seeking an ‘unattractive’ appearance.
Directing her message at the women who participated, she pressed on. ‘This isn’t the solution,’ she contended. ‘Not if we are hoping to foster kindness in the young ones following our example.’ She further asserted that her critique wasn’t meant to dissuade the liberal women’s sentiment regarding the election results.
As an indigenous American, the mother felt a specific connection to the long, flowing locks she once had, reminiscent of the style of the historical character Pocahontas. Losing her hair had hit her hard. ‘It’s a harsh blow to my self-esteem,’ she admitted.
While as an adult she firmly stated she could ‘move on’ from the casual ignorance, she, however, voiced her concern about the potential impact on children suffering from cancer, who might stumble across such insensitive content.
She passionately pushed forth the message about the harsh reality of young children battling cancer, who despite their circumstances, still attend school, and mothers who are undergoing chemotherapy, losing their hair, yet continuing to show up in every sense for their families. ‘There are also individuals like me suffering from alopecia,’ she added.