This still infuriates me.

[BookstoreEscapee]

She then GRABS MY PONYTAIL, strokes it and says 'I think they do, her hair is henna'd. Where's your henna?'

Wait, because your hair is henna'd you must carry the stuff? Cuz you're not allowed to shop anywhere else?

I realize you do work in a place that would likely carry the stuff, but still...

That's kinda like someone coming up to me in the bookstore and saying, "Hey, she's wearing a necklace, I think they must carry them!"

[GingerBiscuit]

The thing is... we don't carry Henna. We DO carry other haior dyes, but not henna. So she violated my sense of personal space for no reason. When I told her- as politely as I can manage, under the circumstances- we don't carry henna, she got all huffy and said 'But I WANT to buy it from HERE!'

And I wanted to go about my day without a stranger fondling my hair. We don't always get what we want.

ANyway. Yes. It is a ridiculous assumption. Like the assumption I have tried everything in store and know, in depth, what the tablets are like/ what the nut tastes like/how well the hair dyes work.

[Gravekeeper]

Back when I use to have long hair ( To my ass no less ) I had coworkers touch it all the time. >< Always the women. Who would grab it, feel it, sniff it then compliment me on how silky it was and how nice it smelled. Which, if a guy did that to a girl, he'd immediately be labeled as a serial killer.

I have one friend/coworker that too this *day* laments about me cutting my hair short even though it hasn't be long in almost 7 years. Because it was "so beautiful". Which isn't exactly the word I want to inspire in others. ;p

[ThePhoneGoddess]

Oooh, GB, I'da snapped at her, yanked my hair away violently. I HATE when people touch my hair! Few things are as annoying as that. ASK before you grab something that's attached to my scalp, dammit!

[Shironu-Akaineko]

I had strangers pet my hair at one of my grandma'sezeses funeral.

now I keep my hair SHORT.

[Marxfan]

I would NOT have blamed you if you started whaling on that woman. For God's sake, there is no excuse for that kind of behavior.

I used to have a ponytail, too. No stories like yours, though now I have a pixie cut, 3 years running, which good insurance against people like that.

[crazylegs]

Hair stroking is a very intimate act (in most circumstances) and as tactile as I am I would never dream of stroking a womans hair unless I knew them *very* well, and then there are some of my friends who I have known for years who I still wouldn't. Its. Just. Not. Right.

On another note, one girl I knew had an incredibly sensitive scalp and would be in pain if some one tried to stroke her hair.

I can think of no logical reason why someone would think it is reasonable to grab a strangers hair and start playing with it.

[KnitShoni]

I know the feeling. I stopped using relaxers to straighten my hair earlier this year, and I wear it natural (afro, most of the time). People are FOREVER putting their hands in my hair. Then they act hurt when I tell them I'd rather they didn't do that.

[BookstoreEscapee]

When I told her- as politely as I can manage, under the circumstances- we don't carry henna, she got all huffy and said 'But I WANT to buy it from HERE!'

I want an Oompa-Loompa NOW!!!

I have one friend/coworker that too this *day* laments about me cutting my hair short even though it hasn't be long in almost 7 years. Because it was "so beautiful". Which isn't exactly the word I want to inspire in others. ;p

Hehe, when I was in college I had hair like that. My one friend lived vicariously through my hair (hers is so thick that if she lets it get much past her shoulders it becomes totally unmanageable)...she told me she'd cry if I ever cut it. Just before going back to school my junior year, I cut it to my shoulder blades. When she came over from her dorm to say hi later in the day, it took her 20 minutes to notice. (Then she cried.)

Then again, I am a girl...

[yomiko]

I know the feeling. I stopped using relaxers to straighten my hair earlier this year, and I wear it natural (afro, most of the time). People are FOREVER putting their hands in my hair. Then they act hurt when I tell them I'd rather they didn't do that.

There's no respite. I get that with braids. My cousin gets it with relaxer. And for some reason, when you have had enough to the point where you're on the verge of creating causalties, you're the bad guy. Because they're only doing it because they 'like it'.

[Andara Bledin]

I just remembered a story of a guy abusing my hair.

I have long hair, and I usually have it tied back into a pony tail that hangs to just past my waist.

This guy wasn't a customer or anything. He was sort of a friend (very complicated). Anyway, we were at a convention in the dealer's room and I was chatting up an artist friend that I'd known for years. He decided that he needed my attention right that second, and rather than saying my name or anything reasonable, he just grabbed my braid and pulled me over to where he was standing.

Needless to say, he was informed, in no uncertain terms, that he was never to even think about doing anything like that ever again. Of the people in the nearby vicinity, the artist, Nekojin, and another friend were all independantly giving me an opportunity to deal with it myself, before they stepped in and dealt with the guy.

^-.-^

[Sliceanddice]

ok first grab my hair would result with a police call because you not only just violated my personal space but you just touched me without my permission. Ive been know to hit people for less. So that lady would have had a bruise on her face and her arm behind her back.
second Henna as far as i know is awesome for a nice natural looking red dye, and the tattoos are done in traditional indian marriages...

[ArenaBoy]

Here is something for those who have their hair grabbed. Take both hands and push down on the hand pulling your hair to your head. It causes extreme joint pain on the hand pulling your hair. Learned it in my martial art days.

[XCashier]

And for some reason, when you have had enough to the point where you're on the verge of creating causalties, you're the bad guy. Because they're only doing it because they 'like it'.

Yeah, but it's your hair, and you don't "like it"! That is so sad, that people feel they have the right to grab or grope your hair. Jeez, nearly all of the people of this planet have hair, it's not like it's a rare phenomenon.

I think I'd be half tempted to start pawing their heads, to see how they like it, but who knows when was the last time they washed their hair!

[Nayeli_Sabia]

I have really long(tailbone) hair. I have no problem with people talking about my hair, or touching my hair, but they cannot touch my hair without asking first. Just.... NO.



I also have a fear of people coming up behind me with scissors. *shudder*