Cultural Stereotypes and Offensiveness

[debka_notion]

"Eat lots of food and help snip my hair. Make me Finally look like a real boy!!" -Chabad rabbi, in an email putting words into his 3 year old son's mouth.

I suppose that means that my 3 and a half year old cousin Daniel with long hair isn't a "real boy". Or that my uncle, several male friends with long hair, and at least one former teacher aren't real men either. I'm kind of contemplating emailing back and being offended- their standard isn't the only one around here. I know men who look perfectly manly with long hair. I know it isn't in their cultural preference for boys over the age of 3 to have long hair- but that doesn't imply that there aren't perfectly real boys out there with long hair. (What's an unreal boy?) I don't know if they're just being oblivious in their attempt to be cute, or if they're really out to make statements that say that the way a number of people I'm close to deal with their hair is illegitimate. If the latter, I want to send a nice upset and angry email in their direction.

Comments

[bobtheslinky.livejournal.com]

I definitely don't think it's a deliberate statement against men with long hair; it is, though, thoughtless and it would be alright to write an email.

[gimmelgirl.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think culturally, Hassidism would sorta agree that long hair does not a real boy make. There are prohibitions against cross dressing and very specific gender ideas, so I would gather that the cultural norm is only for women to have long hair. I agree that it is offensive, but we are talking about a worldview that finds women in pants - men's clothing - to be unacceptable.

[fleurdelis28.livejournal.com]

My two immediate reactions were:

1) Good Lord, he's THREE already?! (Assuming you're referring to the Chabad rabbi I think you are.)

2) Chabadniks watch Pinnochio?

[tovah623.livejournal.com]

Keep in mind, Mendel happens to look somewhat girly w/ his hair that long. So it may just be a statement about him and not about all men w/ long hair.