Do White Women Feel More Pressure to Conform?

Having a shaved head has igiven me some insight. Universally, my black female seem more accepting of my "new" look while some of my white female friends find it hard to look at me and suspect I've lost my mind.

My black friends have said: "You have a nice face" or "Wow, it really brings out your eyes - you're going to look great with short, short hair."

In contrast, some of the women in my office with shorter hair than I had have said: "Are you going to wear a wig or hats till it grows back?" When I said my head was Air New Zealand's cranial billboard for the next 10 days -- several said: "But they won't know if you wear a wig in the office." I said: "I'll know."

As a single white female, I've always wanted to be slender like Eva Longoria or Michelle Pfeiffer. Instead, I have boobs and hips. One of my black friends once even asked if I had some black blood in my ancestory since I have more of a bubble butt. I said: "No," and was a bit offended since I've always wanted a less conspicuous butt.

Whereas I've always wanted a better more perfect body as a single white female, my black female friends seem more comfortable in their own skin -- WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get. I'm still trying to reach that level of comfort.

So I may be hairless at the moment, but I'm gaining insight (which I'll be able to pack for my adventures in New Zealand). My other revelation is that I had more self-confidence in my hair than I realized.