head shaving: pros and cons

[Merlin]

Hi,

I'm in a bit of a dilemma, wondering if some of you can help:

My father died of Leukemia nearly 30 years ago, and this year to mark the anniversary my younger brother, my sister ***and my mother*** are shaving their heads as suggested on the website http://www.worldsgreatestshave.com/ . So far I've had emails from a couple of my family members telling me about it and while they haven't directly come out and asked me if I'll participate, I rekon it will be coming...

I'm not really that keen.
Quite aside from the "how will I look" question, other issues revolve around how it would go down at work, would my sales go down etc. Some older clients would not want to deal with what they perceive as an aggressive person etc. Plus, I'll be going to Thailand in October, and it's definitely NOT COOL there. They equate skinheads with nazis, and I just don't want to deal with any possibility of any hassles with immigration/police/military types, especially since I will have to be dealing with the embassy while I'm there. Also, I'll be trying to get a good deal from suppliers and as some of you will know, it's all "face" there. I don't want anything to get in the way. Not only that, I mentioned it in passing to my wife and naturally she is totally against it - her family would not understand.

Come to think of it, I'm not sure I understand either.
What has shaving your head got to do with a blood disease?
Why would someone give money to some cause because some other person shaved their head? I don't get the concept.

The thing is, how do I talk to my family about it, if they do expect me to join in?...

 

[krissy]

I'll go out on a limb here, but 30 years is a long time to have pass and do something so radical. While many people do shave their heads in support they do it when their loved one is going through chemo and radiation when they lose their hair. Rather than to wait so long and do it in remembrance. Leukemia is cancer of the blood.

If your not comfortable doing it, don't. Why should you, it's something very obvious that puts you into an uncomfortable position in real life. And you are the one who has to deal with your life not your family members. It's been a long time since his death and do you really think he would want you to remember him in this way. Why not do something else. Donate your time somewhere, give something back to the community or buy something for yourself.

My mother has lost all her hair right now due to chemo and radiation yet I can't imagine shaving my head in support. There are other ways I can support her.

 

[sfmickey]

I shave my head 2x/week. I run my own business, am a professional, and am in a conservative occupation. I've never felt any pushback from clients or others. In fact, I get mny compliments (I'm also fortunate to have a nice round head!). I understand your concerns though.....and shared them before I first shaved (which I did bc I am losing my hair). I have had no problems at all. Remember....if you don't like it, within a week or so you'll have grown a bunch of hair back and will no longer look like a skinhead! But, as always, if you don't feel comfortable, don't do it!

 

[Robxcarlson]

I see a lot of professionals of all ages with shaved heads, including my former boss (who was pretty square). I don't think the stigma is attached to it now that once was. I shave my head and I don't feel that it's affected me negatively. That being said, you shouldn't feel forced to do it.
However, if you do, and someone asks you why - once you tell them about your reason for shaving your head then no one would hold it against you.

 

[luvmysuper]

You do what you feel comfortable doing.
If you feel like participating in this, go right ahead. Shaved heads get less interest than you think. I didn't catch any flak at all my entire time throughout Asia with a shaved head. Most of the monks have 'em, and it's gaining popularity.
If you don't want to participate, just level with your family and tell them so. There's nothing wrong with wanting to memorialize in your own way, and no one has a right to tell you that you must do it their way.