I heard on the news on Sunday about a group of people who voluntarily went bald for charity. It was a project by World Vision to raise money to help the indigenous people of Sabah have an education and to fund a mobile library to increase the levels of literacy. 50 people pledged to go bald and among them were many young people, young women included.
Made me think.
Demi Moore went bald for her role in G.I. Joe Jane. Natalie Portman went bald for V for Vendetta. They both look great with or without hair – they already have strong beautiful features.
But would I go bald?
Much as I admire the spirit and dedication of the young women who went bald on Sunday, I’m afraid I’d never do it voluntarily. My reason is simple – Vanity.
I may not have wonderful hair but its mine and it helps define my look. Also, I don’t think I have strong enough features or a nice round head to look good bald. So, I don’t think I could ever surmount my vanity in the name of charity. Perhaps I’m selfish that way.
Would you?
Paris B
GI Jane laaa
I’ve been reading a few websites. I don’t get it. What’s the point of going bald? Do the people get paid for doing it so that the proceeds go to charity or are they gonna sell the hair or is it just a radical statement? :-/
Oops! Corrected 😛 As geekchic said, its a pledge you make e.g. if you donate $X I’ll shave my head. So will you do it?
depends on how much they’re paying. As I already have short hair, going bald is only 6 inches away? Don’t think I can gather that much so my answer is: no, I won’t do it.
There are many ways to contribute. Many small acts throughout ones life is worth more than one radical act. But of course, charities need marketing strategies too and if we’re being realistic, not many people are genuinely charitable.
Haha… well said. I’d rather just give my money without attaching conditions 😀
true wht connie said..i also dare not to go bald..instead of doing some work helping the organization indeed better that go bald..just felt not necessary..maybe this is a tactic to attract more ppl to donate in a creative way:0
Definitely its visual and effective I think because people just want to see others go bald LOL
I think if I were a world superstar with as much influence as those you mentioned, I would. But if say there were a mass bald head event in Singapore, where the more people go bald the better, and nobody knows me, then no. The impact on the world just doesn’t justifies the cost of vanity.
If I was being PAID for it like the superstars are, I could consider it but otherwise nope!
Actually, isn’t it like a pledge thing? Like people pledge x amount to the charity then they pay up and you chop your locks off? There’s a similar event here, you can go bald/colour your hair to raise funds for cancer. November is also Movember where the boys don’t shave (ick) for a month and you pledge $$$ to raise funds for prostate cancer. Had some pics from the guys who did it last year. HEEEEE-LARIOUS.
Yup its a pledge people make to collect money for charity. Would YOU go bald though 😉
Oh sollie I forgot to answer your Q. MAYBE. I’ll just wear a hat all the time. 😀
Great workaround 😉 You can knit yourself one!
I don’t think I’d look good bald either… face too long and no strong features too… but I think Connie would look fab cos she photographs so well from every angle. 😛
p.s. Connie don’t kill me when you next see me yah… it’s a compliment… 😀
Actually I think so too because she has those eyes 😛
seriously? I am one big fan of charity..but girl! I just can’t! You know how much I’m addicted to hair with my haircare products! I can probably cut my hair super short to share to locks but will never go bald! I know I don’t have strong features to go with it and it’ll scare the people I love 😛
Haha Yeah I’m happy with giving away my hair but not all of it 😉
Well!!! You only live once right??? Why not?? ^.^
Good to know 🙂
Maybe maybe !!!
I’ve been bald once and I don’t mind of being bald twice. Why not if it is for charity?
Good to know that! 🙂
I still remember raising money for charity through a singing marathon……we sang for X number of hours and people pledged money for us to sing per hour……that is a simple, fulfilling and enjoyable way of raising money. I think shaving your head is rather extreme. Anyways….my hair started thinning years ago and I want to hold on to what little I have!
LOL! Yes our hair gets more and more precious to us as we age eh? 🙂 I like the idea of raising money from singing. Not that I can sing. But I’d pledge my money to anyone who can 🙂
Honestly, i wont mind, really, it’s always been a dream, like literally a dream for me to go bald, cos 1st Malaysia weather is too mad hot. and 2ndly, long hair is kind of tiring to maintain.
I NEVER had to guts to do so, but i’ve always told myself if there was a perfectly good reason for me to do so, why not?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts 🙂 I guess you are a braver soul than I am 🙂
definitely 100% no! My hair is like so precious to me… haha… I’d rather donate the money than to shave my head bald… they are shaving their heads just a publicity stunt… I mean everyone can donate money but not everyone will be willing to go bald for charity =)
Well for a publicity stunt it will work and for many, its a case of “hair will grow back” but I’d rather just pledge the money 🙂
Honestly, I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t look good bald and besides I’d rather donate money to the charity instead.
yeah I think many of us feel that way – we just won’t look good bald – takes a strong face to look good bald 😀
Done it! It was the best leap-of-faith decision I made last year.
http://www.georgettetan.com/2009/02/definitions-of-brave/
I blogged quite a bit before the event but I never really did blog about living with a stubble for about 2-3 months. The best advice I can give is that you shouldn’t do it if you can’t live with it for the next few months. Your hair will just be what it’ll be while it grows out, mostly sticking straight out.
And people will stare. People who recognise you from the event or publicity are usually friendly and it gives them a reason to talk to you. People who don’t know will either ask or just stare, and sometimes, it’s a vaguely hostile “who is that punk and how dare she sets foot in my neighbourhood” stare.
At the same time, if it’s a cause you care about, being female and having as much hair as I did before the shave makes a good leverage to raise funds. Friends who managed to miss the pre-event fun raising sent their cheques in after the event. Of course the head shaving thing is a publicity stunt. It worked. Our cause exceeded their target by miles.
I say it’s the best decision I made last year for several reasons:
1. I’ve never had my hair that short before. Not only did it surprised everyone (especially me) that I look fairly decent bald, but I looked pretty damn good when it hit the very short pixie hair length, which I won’t have never voluntarily gone for otherwise.
2. I had to start wearing make up and dressing up more girly so I don’t look too butch and send the wrong signals. (Ok, this wasn’t the best decision for my wallet, but mmmm make up…)
3. My skin was fantastically clear for most of the year. I think it’s because there’s no hair to stick to my face and hairline and clog up my pores.
4. I realised how much people depend on their hair to define their identity. It was an interesting (although risky!) experiment for me to cast it off and see what’s left. I noticed that I’m more willing to take risks and rise to a challenge after that. That helps in my personal and work life.
Wow, this is a blog post and a half. In conclusion, I can’t wait to shave my head again! The same people are planning an event for this year!
Thank you so much for sharing and glad to know that it was a good experience for you both for your hair (you get new hair!) and for your confidence, you brave soul! 😀
I would if I had the face to pull it off. Unfortunately, I don’t, haha. My hair is normally cut short, but to go bald would be a big leap for me.
Also, thanks for sharing those details of your experience, Gette. Very inspiring and insightful.
I can’t even go too short these days but then I guess I’m quite happy with my hair the way it is 🙂
I have always wanted to do it and I plan on going for it in August or September. I am trying to decide exactly which charity to do it for and then I need to break it to my hubby.LOL!. I plan on going all the way to a totally clean shaven head when I do it.