A viral trend on TikTok where women are shaving their heads in protest against President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming administration has sparked a wave of criticism from those affected by alopecia and other conditions that result in hair loss. For some, the act of shaving one’s head—once a symbol of resistance—is now seen as a sensitive and problematic gesture.
What began as a political statement has unintentionally stirred emotions in a community of individuals who have lost their hair due to medical conditions like alopecia or chemotherapy. Some social media users are speaking out against the movement, highlighting that baldness, for many, is not a choice but a consequence of illness or genetic disorder.
One TikTok user, @xlaurnalexis, shared a series of personal photos alongside a pointed message: “To the women shaving their heads for the 4B Movement, you say you’re doing it so ‘men won’t want you,’ but does that mean men shouldn’t want women who have struggled with hair loss due to alopecia or chemo?” She continued, calling the trend “selfish” and suggesting it perpetuates harmful stereotypes about women with hair loss. “Should we not be able to feel loved by a man?” she asked, underscoring the emotional toll of the movement on those who experience involuntary baldness.
Another user, @alyssakp1, echoed similar sentiments with a post that read: “I bald because my body hates me, not because I hate men. Justice for the alopecia baddies and the hair loss community.” Her statement emphasized that hair loss, particularly for those with alopecia or cancer, is not a political act but a result of uncontrollable health conditions.
The trend of women shaving their heads is believed to have originated with Maria Barbieri, a TikTok user who posted a video under the handle @girl_dumphim. Barbieri explained that she “woke up feeling spicy” and used both a razor and clippers to shave her head. In the video, she stated: “F*** being all the things that the patriarchy wants us to be because, clearly, they don’t give a s*** about us.” Her video, however, appears to have been taken down, and her account is no longer visible on TikTok.
Despite the removal of Barbieri’s video, the trend has continued to spread. Another woman, known as @sidneyandthecity on TikTok, shared her own head-shaving video with the caption: “It was a rebellion—a loud, intentional, in-your-face protest against the patriarchy and the suffocating grip of the male gaze.” She explained that her decision to shave her head was a response to society’s objectification of women, stating: “For far too long, women have been conditioned to believe that their worth is wrapped up in strands of hair, the curve of their hips, or how closely they conform to standards dreamt up by a society engineered to objectify and commodify our existence.”
While the head-shaving movement continues to gain traction, its reception remains divided. While many see it as a bold, feminist statement, others, particularly those within the alopecia and cancer communities, argue that it trivializes the struggles of those who lose their hair through no choice of their own. As the debate unfolds, it’s clear that the intersection of activism and personal experience has created a complex conversation around beauty, identity, and medical realities.
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