Students warn that women with gray hair are less capable

Students warn that women with gray hair are less capable

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Women with gray hair are seen as less COMPETENT: ladies who ‘dare’ to show off their natural grays may be ashamed of their decision, warns study

  • The survey among 80 women looked at the attitude towards those who embrace gray hair
  • Researchers asked questions to women embracing silver locks
  • Found women who turn gray are considered less capable, the study claims

By Joe Pinkstone For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Researchers have found that women who naturally turn their hair gray are more incompetent than women who dye their hair.

A survey among 80 members of Facebook groups where women embrace their gray hair showed a ‘conflict’ between the authentic aesthetic and considered competent.

The women who make the transition, people, family and friends say, have often shamed them and accused them of ‘letting themselves go’.

But the women also received support and a sense of sisterhood from the Facebook groups.

According to researchers, the ‘impossible’ beauty standards that women meet are exposed, which only become unattainable with age.

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Older women who naturally let their hair turn gray are considered more incompetent than women who dye their hair, researchers have found (stock)

Older women who naturally let their hair turn gray are considered more incompetent than women who dye their hair, researchers have found (stock)

“We are all limited by society’s norms and expectations in terms of appearance, but the expectations are stricter for women – especially older women,” said lead author and PhD candidate Vanessa Cecil of the University of Exeter.

‘The’ old woman ‘is an undesirable character in Western societies and is seen as incompetent or unpleasant – if she is seen at all.

‘In our study, we wanted to understand why some women choose natural gray hair.

‘Despite the impossible standards of being natural and staying youthful forever, these women are doing what they can to maintain their status.

A survey among 80 members of Facebook groups where women embrace their gray hair shows a 'conflict' between the authentic aesthetic and considered competent (stock)

A survey among 80 members of Facebook groups where women embrace their gray hair shows a ‘conflict’ between the authentic aesthetic and considered competent (stock)

‘Although many reported negative consequences, such as being ignored or treated as less competent, they also felt happier to’ wave my natural flag ‘.

‘We also found that women chose to turn gray by using other beauty practices – so embracing gray is not the same as being old.

“Gray hair and youthful luster are one thing, but in Western societies it’s still not OK to look old.”

Women who want to embrace their gray hair say the change has been made easier by supporting their loved ones.

Ms Cecil says many women have been accepting their silver locks for a while, but the Covidid-19 pandemic has given the movement extra momentum.

The study was published in the Journal of Women & Aging.

Society ‘stigmatizes’ hair loss, study finds

People without hair are considered by the general public to be unattractive, dirty, contagious and unintelligent, a shocking study has found.

Researchers in the United States have surveyed more than 2,000 people about how they feel about alopecia – the medical term for hair loss.

Their findings suggest that as many as one in six people would be uncomfortable having physical contact with someone with alopecia.

Data also show that 6.2 percent of people would not be comfortable employing someone with alopecia.

‘Patients with the most severe hair loss are thought to be ill (29.8 per cent), unattractive (27.2 per cent), contagious (9.9 per cent), unintelligent (3.9 per cent) and dirty (3.9 per cent) was not, the researchers write in their study, published today in JAMA Dermatology.

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