HIGHLIGHTS

Gentlemen prefer blondes. At least, that’s what the movies would have us believe. But I’ve been wondering for a while now if that’s really true or if that is just a fabrication. After all, I’d say just as many brunettes or redheads go on dates as blondes do. And while blondes are immortalized in male fantasies and on the silver screen as goddesses of perfection, take a look at any “hot” list put out by entertainment channels or magazines: there are just as many brunettes on that list. So I set out to find the truth about hair color and male/female dynamics. Do men have a preference when it comes to hair? Is attraction based on what’s on one’s head rather than in it? And why on earth does one simple hair color seem to take top priority when it comes to determining looks?

I decided to consult some experts in this area: twenty-something year old guys; and what they told me turned my entire perspective on its head. After asking a friend if hair color really mattered, if men instinctively preferred a certain hair color and didn’t deviate from that preference in their search for a partner, I gained some insight into one type of mindset. Men, he explained, don’t notice hair color first, they notice the entire women. Hair color also isn’t a “type,” and he claims that no man has ever turned down a woman because she had the “wrong color.” He was very adamant that hair color is basically inconsequential. And he’s not the only one, because I received that same response from a few other male friends. Then of course, I received the typical responses that indicated preference in hair color. One friend bluntly stated, “I like brunettes.” Great, I thought. Now I have two opposite answers, and I didn’t get anywhere.

My questions weren’t answered, not really anyway. I thought that the myth about men preferring a certain type of hair color could be dispelled, and as it turns out, there remains some preference, one way or the other. Of course, my mind wandered off to the possibility that it’s not really about preference, but about familiarity. For example, if a male grows up in a household full of blonde women, he’s more familiar with blondes and possibly associates the color with the kind of caring, loving environment that he wants for himself later in life. Or, if his first crush donned a particular hair color, he would seek out women only with that color in order to follow through with his vision of a a perfect, pure relationship. But as my mind wandered, it kept coming back to the same thought: it really ought to matter more what’s in a woman’s head than on it. So you’re a redhead? Well, you’re also the youngest VP in your company’s history, you have a great sense of humor and great friends, and you can play any man under the table in a competitive game of Halo. And you’re a blonde? Nice to meet you, you graduated from medical school at the top of your class and you’re now one of the most respected doctors at a reputable practice. You have a passion for Keats’ poetry and on the weekends, you get together with some friends and watch old movies because you appreciate the classics. Those are the kinds of qualities that I say define a strong, beautiful and desirable woman, far more than a genetic predisposition.

So, what’s my personal verdict? Sure, some men might prefer a certain color or might seek out women with a particular shade; but that, to me, indicates immaturity. That shows that he cares more about how a woman looks than her inner qualities that will last long after her hair loses its luster and color. Personally, I believe a stable, healthy and happy relationship is more likely with the person who sees the entire woman inside and out and doesn’t immediately go to hair color. At least, that’s the kind of person I would bet has more successful and memorable relationships. Color doesn’t matter; color fades and can be altered. What really matters, I believe, is the woman under the color, the bright and vibrant human who refuses to be categorized based on her hair but rather forces people to see her shining personality and brilliant mind.