Dying with a smile...

[Allisa]

Just one more thing that as a male I never really experienced until just recently. It is the banter and openness between women while in the salon. I guess being "stuck" in an area that you cannot leave, because let's face it with stuff in your hair sticking out everywhere and tin foil is not an accessory,your not at your loveliest. Well there I was getting my roots touched up and a trim, wash and blow out, almost the works with three other women and one lost man. I felt so sorry for him sitting there listening to all of us "girls" joking and poking fun at a few of the stylist's while they tried to decorate for X-Mas in between their styling duties. Yes it wasn't difficult to pick me out from my lower voice among the other higher pitches and with my hair more or less pulled back with stuff all over it I looked like a male with make-up on. Anyway as the stylist was asking about how my Thanksgiving was and when I was explaining about how I was treated by family because of my gender expression the salon went quiet. That's when she told me she's lesbian and how unfair people can be, a common ground I guess, you could hear comments about how people are so judgmental and people should be able to live the way they want and be happy. It then hit me that I was in some small way representing our community and I felt good to fit in so easily and hope I opened some eyes and minds. Yes I was en-femme totally, probably somewhat over dressed for me anyway, but it just felt right. Now I'm wondering what other hidden delights I'm missing out on that women are not letting on to. Oh yeah the man getting his hair cut could not get out fast enough, I'm sure I had something to do with his haste because you know you can catch CDing from breathing the same air as us. I'm just feeling so good thought I'd share.

[char GG]

Hair salons are like therapy. Typically - what is said in a hair salon stays in the hair salon. The surprises are never ending and it is never boring.

[Connie D50]

Great story I think that is what I'm most envy about ladies is how much fun they can have even just getting there hair done :-)

[sometimes_miss]

I don't know about it being just a female experience; when I go to the barber shop, we talk with each other and the barber as well. Just about different topics. With women it's almost always about interpersonal relationships. With men, it's about activities. If I see someone I know, we might ask each other about how the family is doing, but beyond 'they're fine', that's usually pretty much all. But the discussion about sports and politics can get pretty deep, and you never see women talking about those topics. So I guess you could say that women are missing out, as well.

[Teresa]

Lisa,
If only my hair would grow so I can experience stories like this !

I wished I'd been warned about the way you can catch the CDing bug, does it also apply to breathing in the air around female clothes ?

I had to smile at the guy doing a quick exit, it reminded me of a guy in a charity shop seeing me try on some heels, he was choosing some CDs when I stood and declared the shoes were very comfortable , obviously he'd heard about it being contagious !!

Lexi,
The problem with a male barbers shop is they want to talk about boring stuff like football ( Soccer in the UK ), I will admit I have raised some laughs in my local hairdresser's , not going as far as mentioning CDing , on one occasion one guy cutting my hair was laughing so much he had to excuse himself and nip into the toilet before he wet himself !

[Pat]

Allisa -- I thought you caught CD when the hairdresser doesn't sterilize their combs correctly. ;) Nice job representing. Those people (even the guy who skedaddled out of there) now have a human being to think of when the topic of transgender folks comes up, not just a vague memory of some news article somewhere.


I don't know about it being just a female experience; when I go to the barber shop, we talk with each other and the barber as well.

I've been in barber shops and I've been in beauty parlors. It's not the same. It's one of those "if I have to explain it, you'll never understand it" things.

[CarlaWestin]

..................because you know you can catch CDing from breathing the same air as us.

Yeah. That's how I got it. Damn you all!!

:straightface:

[Maria 60]

I would love to have you as our representative for us, and as a matter of fact you got my vote. For the life of me I find hair dresser have more of a gift then just being good hairdressers, they have amazing memories. For myself I have had the same hair dresser for years now, I cut my hair 6 times a year on average and on average I'm there half a hour at most. I can't believe that I sit in the chair and she starts asking me questions about my kids and family and she is so accurate about everything, almost like she has a file about me and reads it before I go. I asked her last time that she has hundreds of customers and how can she ask me how my mom is doing because last time I cut my hair my mom was in the hospital. That's amazing. She said that's part of her job, she hears it all and everyone vents to her about who hates there daughter in law, who wants to kill there mother in law, etc,etc,etc. All her customers know talking to her is like talking in a vault, there discussions are good as gold never to be repeated, and the funny part is when the people they want to kill come in and complain the same thing about the other person. She said gossip is part of her job description.
Well you are right about as soon as you mention crossdessers or anything outside normal, the room goes quite, but there are people who are not against it but just don't know how to approach it or to speak correct around that subject.

[Allisa]

Teresa I didn't know they sold crossdressers in a charity shop, maybe it's a British thing?

[alwayshave]

I'm sure I had something to do with his haste because you know you can catch CDing from breathing the same air as us.

Know I'm wondering who I caught it from.

[Beauty Parlor Bev]

I have had some wonderful experiences in the Beauty Shop over the years and still prefer the type where all of the customers are together under the dryers or the stylists chairs are close so that you can interact with each other. One of my regulars has a row of 6 dryers on the wall opposite the stylists chairs and everyone is in on every conversation. I am sure some of the patrons are not the most liberal about me, but they are all friendly and I have been going there long enough that I am accepted.

Sadly, my favorite Beautician is in a "loft" style of shop, with a private cubicle. I thought this was great when I was a new "shy" girl, but now that I am much more comfortable around the masses I love to have interaction with the public whenever I can. I have had a few appointments with her where her next client has shown up before we were finished and we have hd conversation, but these types of shops are really not set up for that. Still great conversation with her though!

- - - Updated - - -

Here is a view of the row of dryers I mentioned in my post and a view from under one of the dryers. i think I was her first customer that day but there are usually two or three other ladies there at the same time. She is a master at timing sets and dryer time, she will roll you, walk you to the dryer and bring one of the other ladies back to her chair for a combout all in one trip!

284887284888

[Rachelakld]

It's so fun in the salon.
I had a fem gay male do my hair, along with 2 other clients we were all chatting away like best girl friends

[Teresa]

Lisa,
I walked in one as a perfectly ordinary guy and walked out with some female clothes so I must have caught something in the shop to become a CDer ! I never tried that explanation on my wife but I can imagine her reply to it !

OK reading it again the penny has just dropped , I should have said the guy was checking out music CDs ! Oh dear it looks like I've got this bug worse than I thought !

[bridget thronton]

Love getting my hair cut and washed in the salon. Have had the sane stylist for 8 years and we usually talk about our kids and grand kids.

[Ceera]

I really wish my natural hair had no 'male pattern baldness', and could grow out long enough to pass as female. But I inherited my male ancestor's lack of hair on top, so that will never be. At best I might grow the sides out long, but I'll forever need at least a wiglet for the crown of my head - which precludes most normal 'salon experiences' as a female.

However, I do go to a salon regularly as a male, to get my hair that I do have colored to match the color of my female wig. I've found that several of the female and male stylists are lesbian, gay or bi, as are several of their clients. I occasionally talk about my trans activities there, and have had no bad reactions. And I've sat there quite happily while getting my hair colored, and chatted with the nearby women about all sorts of things. They seem to feel that a male who is comfortable getting his hair done in a salon is 'okay' with them.

[Sarasometimes]

As a long time salon addict i can confidently say that most salons will be pleasant places of acceptance and refuge for our types. The ones I frequent are so welcoming and inviting and the spontaneous small talk, complements and niceties occur more times than I can count from staff and clients.
You will certainly find gay, bi... as hairdressers but that is not a requirement for them to welcome you. Most of my hairdressers are straight females and i really feel like they interact with me as they would a cis female client.

If it weren't for great salon experiences early on when I would go to those places as my outing, i would unlikely be going to barre classes in all female exercise wear en male today.

[jamespattinson]

Recently visited a nail salon and my experience was amazing there. Experts were really professional and greeted me so warmly.

[CONSUELO]

As a child I always had a strong dislike for the traditional barber shop. As soon as I could I found a woman to cut my hair and I now frequent hair salons and nail salons. I prefer the female company and conversation. The entire atmosphere is so much pleasanter. Now whenever I pass a traditional barber shop I shudder.

[Beverley Sims]

I visited a salon when I was twenty.

I found the hair dryer noisy, but, I agree what titillating conversation, yep it had to stay there, could not relate to it elsewhere. :-)

[Stephanie Julianna]

What an amazing experience. I want to go there. I'm totally bald. Do they do scalp massages there?

[BrendaPDX]

"I'm sure I had something to do with his haste because you know you can catch CDing from breathing the same air as us." [/QUOTE]

That explains so much, I always wondered where I got it from:eek: LOL Thank you for sharing:) Brenda

[Sarasometimes]

Stephanie, I'm bald too but i go routinely to get my human hair wigs done, from just a blow out to highlights, balayage and even a "ponytail" perm. I use dodble sided tape to secure it. I have more great salons to go to then time or money would allow.

A link to a ponytail perm, fun experience!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGCpxt3Ts48