Do people ever pet your hair?

[AnaKhouri]

I have naturally thick, shiny hair with lots of red highlights (I'm not bragging- it's the only part of my body I like). I used to wear it to my waist and you'd be shocked how many people would just touch it without asking. Little kids would reach up and grab it, but adults too who should know better. I kept it in a braid much of the time but then people would lift the end of my braid to see how heavy it was. It always bothered me because I am not a fan of being touched by strangers AND I don't know where their hands have been. Ick.

[MoonCat]

I used to have very long hair, it was down to my backside. Some annoying twit who used to work in the cafeteria at work used to try to play with it. I was still too shy at the time to protest much. Finally this little 20 year old girl who worked with him told him to stop it, it was rude. He actually looked embarrassed. And I was embarrassed at not speaking up for myself. Now I do, if needed.

[BlaqueKatt]

How on earth did orange hair ever come to be called ginger???

nothing to do with color, ginger is hot, or fiery, and red hair was associated with being a hothead or having a fiery temper.

[Mishi]

I've had the belly-stroking while pregnant with Jazzy, but by the time I started showing with Kaylee I'd perfected my glare. People comment on their hair all the time but no one has tried to touch it for a while. The thing that bothered me the most was when they were small enough to fit in the carrier on my chest (seperate times, obviously) and random strangers thought it perfectly okay to pat their heads or try to hold their hands or even try to kiss them on the head! I have even had one oblivious person pat Jazzy on the head under the cover while I was discreetly breastfeeding her.

Oh! When Jazzy was two, we had a woman freak out on seeing her because "OMFG!!! Your daughter is a changeling! She's a fairy, you are so blessed to have been chosen to care for her!" She was not happy when I said it was impossible because Jazzy sneezed a moment after being born and that there wasn't enough time for her to have been swapped.

[Food Lady]

I will say that I occasionaly get a strong urge to touch other people's hair, but so far I've been pretty good at resisting.

Who knows? Maybe when I'm 80 I won't care anymore. When I'm on pain meds I know better than to allow myself to be out in the general public.


Food Lady - Your stomach? Are you pregnant? I pretty much try to avoid touching pregnant women unless they invite me to touch them. I like my arms muchly. thx.

It's even worse: I'm not, nor have I ever been, nor will I ever be.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I have never had my hair petted, but I have had my arm stroked.

By old women. /shudder

[BrenDAnn]

I have long, thick, dark hair, which is a shade of dark brown/auburn that's nearly black that just seems to fascinate people. It's mostly co-workers that get the urge to ooh and ahh and pet. So annoying. I have one co-worker who wants to braid my hair. Um...weeeeeeird!

[mharbourgirl]

On the subject of red hair, I have to ask the UK folks: Why in the blue hells is it called 'ginger' over there? I have never been able to figure this out. Ginger is a dull yellow shade. Not orange. Not even remotely orange. I should know, I cook with it a LOT.

How on earth did orange hair ever come to be called ginger???

[dragon_wings]

I've had people want to touch my hair when I faux hawk'ed (gelled all to hell to stay up it looked stiff) and after I dyed it purple. Mine's short though.

[bhskittykatt]

My hair is pretty coarse, and I typically have it bunned up.

Rings, on the other hand...I've had guests reach across the counter and forcibly grab my wrist and drag it back to their side so they could ooh and ahh over my jewelry. I've even gotten a couple bruises from people clamping down on my wrists and yanking. I don't wear a lot of jewelry anymore...

[Aethian]

My ex used too and I miss it.

[Lyse]

Ah, yes. I generally put my hair completely up, or under a crocheted snood/hairnet when working with patients for that reason. Well, that and to keep my hair out of things that I don't want it falling into - ewww.

[Amina516]

I have waist length dark hair. I had it in a braid the other day and had a patient, not once, not twice but 3 separate times reach up and try to pet my hair, from the crown of my head to the tip of my braid. The first time I was kinda in shock and she got all the way down. 2nd and 3rd time she tried, she didn't get very far as. Was able to swerve away. 4th time saw her coming and avoided it altogether. She was a sneaky little lady!

I did ask her not to do that, but I'm pretty sure she was high on something and just wasn't getting it.

[Blue Ginger]

I am a redhead with hip length hair - I hate when total strangers think that they can just start touching.

Gah! The hair touchers. God I hate when people do that.

I have ginger hair. It has gone a bit browner the last 3 years - but it is still more on the orange side. Mine was waist length too, until we discovered the weight was causing my migraines. I still miss it and it's been cut since 1998.

I put a guy in hospital that would not get the hint to leave me alone and stop petting my hair in a nightclub. Even after I told him, repeatedly, to F-off. My friends and his friends told him to F-off and leave me alone.

Generally moving away and giving people the death glare works for me.

[Lyse]

I am a redhead with hip length hair - I hate when total strangers think that they can just start touching. They get anything from a bitchy look to a lecture in touching people without permission. The old man that barely brushed my hair and told me, with a teary look, that his late wife had hair just like mine - he got a pass, though.