Hair salons are a place of joy for many people. As well as a space to feel looked after and pampered, it's somewhere to chat, relax and spend a little time on yourself. And for so many, hair is an expression of self and identity.
But for some, booking an appointment at a salon isn't just about finding space in the diary or deciding whether to try a balayage this summer. For a proportion of the LGBTQIA+ community, salons and barbershops can feel intimidating and unwelcoming, based on a number of gender stereotypes that are still upheld within many beauty spaces.
Though often unconscious, long-held practices such as gendered pricing (and styling) and a lack of awareness towards the trans and non-binary community can make getting something as simple as a haircut - or even just considering it – a troubling experience for many.
A 2019 survey by Pantene found some worrying statistics. 93% of trans and non-binary people had been mis-gendered at a salon, and nearly a third feel stressed before every visit. Here in the UK, awareness platform Hair Has No Gender reports that over a quarter of LGBTQIA+ respondents have been told their hair needs to be more suited to their assumed gender while visiting a hair professional, and almost a third have been turned away from a barbershop due to their gender or sexual orientation.
GLAMOUR spoke to a number of members of the LGBTQIA+ community about their own experiences within beauty and grooming spaces, and how things can change for the better.
"Hair is one of those things that's so personal"
Non-binary writer and activist Ben Pechey has a loyal hairdresser they trust to create their signature half-long half-short style, often driving for hours to visit them because the more local salons haven't felt comfortable.
"For me, a salon is one of those really scary places," Ben says. "Without really trying, they state very binary gender options. It's very much female spaces and male spaces. And when you sit outside of that, it's like – where should I go? Where do I feel safe?
"For me, I'm too scared to go anywhere new. I've been to the same stylist for 12 years – I travel over an hour to get there. I tried other stylists, it just didn't work for me. I have quite an 'out there' haircut, so at a barbers, they didn't want to touch it, and going to a female salon, they'd try to convince me it was too much, or had other ideas about it. Having that confidence and trust in stylists has just never been there for me."
For Ben, being in a salon is a vulnerable experience. "I'm very comfortable in who I am, but all it takes is speaking to someone who questions me to derail my day. Hair is one of those things that's so personal. You're at the mercy of a hairdresser when you're sat in that chair... you never look worse than when you stare at yourself in that mirror! It's a very vulnerable position to be in. When you throw in discomfort about how they're going to address you... are they going to get my pronouns right, are we going to have to argue about the styling? It's a big fear. At the moment, I don't feel I can use any other salon."
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