Politics of Hair

My mother saw pictures from Prague with my new almost faux-hawk hair, and flipped a shit. She was all like "Why is your hair so short it's so ugly!" and I was like actually my friends and bosses all think it's really cute and she was like "because they don't want to hurt your feelings!" and i was like perhaps, but at least they say it. And then she was all "You're wearing a tie and you have short hair-- what are you trying to tell me?" And I was like "nothinnnggg.." and then she was like "Why are you making such a big deal about hair? Just let it grow out!" and I was like "actually, you're the one making a big deal about it." and she was like "so grow it out!" and i was like "no!" and she was like "why do you want to be so different? why can't you be yourself?" and i was like "i AM being myself, duh" and my aunt kind of stood up for me but only because she said I was just being young and rebellious and not because of anything related to gender presentation and fluiditiy. Anyway. Guys still catcall me on the streets and hit on me in bars. So there. God, intergenerational relations.