I’m not usually controversial on Instagram. I usually stick to posts about gardening, hair, dogs and maybe a bit of comedy. But when I saw all the incredibly negative posts about the Princess of Wales and her new hair this week, I had to say something.
I’m not averse to critiquing hair. I’m a media hairdresser. That’s my job. I know from working with Diana, if we ever made a slight change to her hair, it was front page news the very next day. I remember I once slicked back her hair and the papers said it looked as though she had rubbed chip fat through it. We would laugh about it; it was ridiculous. And I’m no prudish fuddy duddy; I understand we all have a right to like or dislike someone’s choices. But for Kate, a woman who has told us she is experiencing cancer, I just felt so horrified by the hate and vitriol in the comments. These aren't friendly jibes. To me, it’s downright bullying. Where has our empathy gone?
A woman’s hair is very personal to her; it’s a defence, a shield, armour. Some days you might hide behind a fringe, while on others, you’ll wear your hair up. It’s not frivolous, it’s a major part of our identity, and tied up in feelings of confidence and self esteem. That’s the whole premise of a ‘good hair day’: when our hair looks good, we feel good.
When someone is facing cancer, hair is more delicate, more politically charged than ever. It’s an important part of the cancer journey, and people handle it very differently. I know from my own clients; they are often so anxious about how cancer treatment might affect their hair, whether they might lose it, or how their hair might respond. So, to me, to pour hate onto someone’s hair who is on that journey – particularly when we don’t actually know anything about her hair because she hasn’t chosen to tell us – is simply unforgivable.
When I posted my thoughts on Instagram yesterday, I didn’t expect such negativity in the comments. People asked me what cancer has to do with it? And emphasised that Kate’s hair is up for public debate simply by virtue of her position in the public eye. I’m not saying we can’t have opinions about the hair choices of public figures. But when it turns nasty, it’s bullying.
I don’t know where we go from here. We have politicians spouting hatred which seems to give license to a general mood of negativity. And on the internet, one nasty comment breeds ten more. But I think the Princess of Wales needs all the support she can get right now. And I certainly won’t let the internet shut me up about that.