Saturday, October 31, 2015
Strength and Hair: how we Look at Masculinity
We've talked in class about Samson, and how his God-like strength came from the sacred vow of his untouched hair. His long hair defined his masculinity. Today, for Halloween, I dressed up as Vegeta, a super saiyan from DragonBall Z, in which the pinnacle warriors of strength increase their power by transformation (during which their hair length increases dramatically and turns from black to blonde). I did not dye my hair blonde, but I spiked my hair to make it appear larger. However, these cases of long hair and masculinity, often work opposite in today's society. It is common and recommended for bodybuilders to have buzz cuts or shave their heads completely. The short hair is meant to make the bodybuilders appear more muscular; it is aesthetically pleasing. Cutting her hair, Sor Juana is able to remind herself of her mistakes, but also hide her identity by fitting in with the social norm of short hair for men.
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I don't mean to nitpick, but the only time a Saiyan's hair grows in transformation is arguably Super Saiyan 2. In the first level, the hair simply stands on end and becomes much more pointed. In the case of Vegeta, it simply changes color since his hair is always standing on end. In the second level, you can see a distinct sharpness in the hair, and arguably added length to exaggerate the spikes. But the only real transformation where you see any real hair growth is in Super Saiyan 3, which only Goku and Gotenks were able to achieve. However, the argument about showing masculinity through the length of one's hair is still rather interesting to consider
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