I have a relatively “normal” appearance, by contemporary standards of heterosexual college-aged males. I prefer to wear pants and button-up shirts, I don’t have any tattoos or piercings, and my hair is currently combed-over and, arguably, professional. This weekend, however, marks the 4th year of my involvement with a foundation that supports pediatric cancer research, where I will shave my head in support, but change my hair to a pink mohawk for the week before the shave. Compared to my current appearance, this is a big change. Upon telling my parents of the plans leading up to this year’s shave, the first words out of my mom’s mouth were “I hope you don’t have any internship interviews this week.”
Unfortunately, she’s right. That’s something I initially was concerned with. Maybe I could have gotten away with this haircut when I was in elementary school, but at this stage in my life, I am a college student and a pre-professional. I am expected to present myself in what society has deemed a professional way, and a pink mohawk certainly doesn’t fit that bill.
Harvey’s conversation about postmodern space and time as written in Halberstam argues that “…our conceptions of space and time are social constructions forged out of vibrant and volatile social relations” (6), while also stating that we envision that”… our time is our own and, as the cliche goes, ‘there is a time and a place for everything.’… thus people feel guilty about leisure, frustrated by waiting, satisfied by punctuality, and so on. These emotional responses add to our sense of time as ‘natural'” (7). Imagining that time is “natural”, along with the emotional responses that come along with functioning outside of “natural” temporalities, encourages me to believe that other aspects of our life, for instance our attitudes and appearances, should adjust in a natural progression just as time does. Time being “natural”, as it is used by Harvey, explains the emotion associated behind something functioning outside of heteronormative time or ideals. In this case, a mohawk and died hair are not “natural” under constructed normative appearance ideals as they function within the normative temporality of a pre-professional college student. As a young child, a pink mohawk does not necessarily break societal norms to the same degree that a college student sporting the same hair-style would, as normative expectations vary depending on the time in which the action occurs. As Harvey reminds us, we only envision that our time is our own, not understanding that the choices we make are largely influenced by influences intertwined in normative temporalities.
I’m definitely excited for my pink hair this weekend; after all, it’s for charity. I’m still hoping that my boss doesn’t see it though.
Thank you for this post. Shaving your head and getting a pink Mohawk aren’t the worst things to change someone’s appearance. I see a similarity between your post and Guerrina post titled “Queer Time.” You both talk about existing outside of our “paradigmatic markers” (Halbersatm, 2), and the unconscious path that society puts us on. You have made me think of small or large things about myself that might challenge my appearance towards society and although your Mohawk is for a good cause, it’s always hard to understand how and why people are so stringent on social constructions.
Hey! I saw your hair in the caf, and quite frankly it looks amazing. I thought this was a really interesting argument that both you and Halberstam are making. The idea that there is a “time and place for everything” supports the idea that we must follow this heteronormative time line that may not reflect upon one’s own attitudes or identities. The way time is constructed is oppressing to those that participate in queer culture, as they seem to act outside of it. But who’s to say what’s right and what’s wrong when it comes to time? Who set these parameters of what is acceptable in society? It also makes one wonder what actually defines queer. Is it anything that diverges from the normal? Are we all queer in our own ways? I think yes and that we’d all like to be able to die our hair.
I absolutely love your own experience and believe your decisions and change should not interfere with who you are. Through Halberstam, we learn that queer time began from an opposition to norms that have been built up from different institutions. Even today social norms play a key role to our everyday move. It is incredible how a norm works and may interfere with who we are. As we grow older and depend on ourselves to make important decisions, these norms tend to be much more than just a barrier. Halberstam’s idea of queer time teaches us the troubles of norms and how society has used them to keep a community “normal.” Nonetheless, the same time has evolved the queer community for the betterment of themselves.
Non-normative appearances/body modifications such as dyed hair, piercings, tattoos, and alternative (couldn’t think of another word) dress have been common queer markers for a long time up until recently. Now you see heterosexual people with similar styles and these body modifications have become more commonly accepted socially and even in the job market. Like you said, in the corporate sector obvious deviations from the norm such as boldly dyed hair are not very acceptable.Do you think the progression of this trend speaks to the ways in which dominant society absorbs minority groups’ aesthetics and rebrands it as their own?