COVER STORY
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow Bald can indeed be beautiful. Just ask any of these amazing women. By Jessie Gantt-Temple Pulse contributor
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Don’t get me wrong, I love my curls but I started to feel like they we’re adding more worth to who I was than they should.”
T
HE THOUGHT OF A WOMAN WITH A SHAVED HEAD may conjure images of irrational, crazy ladies like the loud mouthed Susan Powders, Debra in Empire Records or the infamous Britney Spears breakdown.
But for me, it brings about fonder memories of strong female characters who are looking to be heard and not seen like the ferocious Grace Jones, the scandalous Sinead O’ Connor or my most inspirational influence, The Legend of Billie Jean. Many other glamorous gals have taken to the clippers for movie roles, fashion or political statements but what has made several local ladies let their hair down...to fall to the base of the barber chair, that is? EVERYTHING BUT THE CURL “I felt like my curls we’re defining me,” Amanda said as she went for an-
6 • THE PULSE • MARCH 22, 2018 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM
other buzz cut to trim away any sign of a budding curl, “Don’t get me wrong, I love my curls but I started to feel like they we’re adding more worth to who I was than they should.” As a sassy, smart-alecky Jane-of-alltrades at Chattanooga Brewing, Amanda is well known for her personality as well as those luscious locks. Previously attending the Aveda Hair School in Nashville, she understands the importance of healthy hair and thought it was the time to get healthy physically, mentally and every other way. “A friend tried to bleach my hair a few years back which gave me third degree burns and made my hair fall out,” she
said as she brushed the freshly buzzed fuzz off her shoulder, “it’s time to take this unhappy scalp to a more freeing, beauty euphoria.” Unlike the other ladies featured in this article, Amanda did not promote that she was lopping it all off in the wee morning hours of November last year. She did give an inkling beforehand in an inquiring Facebook post, asking fellow females who have shaved their heads how liberating it was. With almost twenty comments, only two were male and their responses were “Bet you won’t do it” and “Don’t do it.” All the other responses were women who encouraged her to do it with phrases like “Best thing ever” and “Nothing is forever.” In an admittedly slightly drunken stooper, she texted a few friends and got a Goldilocks mixture of responses. The