Dove Canada announced a $100,000 donation to an organization that encourages inclusive workplaces and launched an initiative called #KeepTheGrey to support older women in the workplace. This news led to reflections I share in my book, Hair Tells a Story: Hers, Yours, and Ours.

Hair color is the ultimate catch-22 for feminists. The women’s movement challenged many limitations in women’s lives, opening door after door – education, sports, career, economic freedom, sexuality, birth control- to name a few. 

Yet, at the same time, the choices regarding appearance became increasingly narrow, especially with our hair color. Ironically, feminism expanded women’s opportunities beyond what most imagined, but it contracted our acceptance of the aging process - our hair needs to look young. When the hair industry launched its quick, do-it-yourself color treatments in the 1950s, aggressive marketing campaigns associated gray hair with being unpopular, socially inferior, and unattractive.

By 2021, market research indicated that 75% of women in the US colored their hair, and nearly 70% of women report that having their hair colored makes them feel instantly more attractive. Hair color became a quick fix for women managing complicated lives, including trying to make it in the marketplace and business world. Feeling attractive - that seductive magnet brings women back month after month to a habit that can end up costing them a small fortune and endless time. The COVID pandemic interrupted that process for many women, and some enjoy the freedom of their hair. This has not been wholly accepted in the marketplace- after all, hair color is another big industry. Keeping women uneasy about their appearance creates a lot of profit for beauty and hair businesses.

Gray hair is a natural phenomenon that comes to those lucky enough to be alive through middle age. We should see it as a gift of life!

Accepting her natural hair color can be one of the most empowering steps a woman can take as she ages. It is time for women to take back the power in their lives - starting with their hair color. The “right to choose” includes hair color, and any choice a woman consciously makes will empower her.