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Thanks
for being such a supportive
friend. I think that your classmates
are reacting to two things:
one, they are simply reacting
to someone who is being different.
For instance, I remember when
I was in high school -- and
somewhat this continues today
- there was a lot of pressure
for everyone to be the same.
One example is that most of
my friends are getting married
and I don't want to, even though
my boyfriend and I have been
dating for 11 years. My friends
can't understand why, and I
think it's because they can't
understand something different.
So, some of the reaction is
"Why be different?" Being different
is threatening to some people
because it's easier to have
your identity shaped than to
have to figure out what it means
to be true to yourself. So in
some ways it's jealousy.
Two,
they are reacting simply to
her being a girl and doing something
that isn't feminine -- i.e.
challenging gender roles. It's
upsetting the natural order
of things. Change is hard for
people -- and though I don't
really believe this to be true,
it is certainly easier to walk
on a path than to create your
own. In reality, I think that
making your own path is a more
satisfying venture.
I
hope that helps and I hope that
your friend is happy with her
decision. Years ago it was unheard
of for women to have tattoos
and piercings -- and now it's
practically weirder not to --
so shaved heads could be next.
Also, it could be solidarity
to all of those women who have
to do it for chemotherapy. I
hope that others realize that
by not supporting someone's
choices, they are setting themselves
up to not have their choices
supported.
—Amy
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