>>283453771 (OP)
Yes, I'm a woman who's had waist-length or longer hair my entire life (well since I was 4/5, when it was able to actually reach that length) and it'd seriously fuck me up if someone cut it off. Like I'd attack them probably but also emotionally it'd fuck with me on a deep level
It's a part of my body and essential to my look and identity, and while this is probably hyperbole feels almost like rape in a way, like a long-lasting violation of your bodily autonomy that you can't reverse. Like you just have to go out in public the next day with short hair if someone cuts it against your will unless you become a hermit till it grows back or hide it. There's even a "shame" angle, like everyone who knows you sees what's happened and you just have to live with their stares and knowledge. I'm not saying it's worse than rape, but you can't exactly keep a haircut to yourself compared to sex stuff
I was always afraid of someone cutting my hair off as a kid since my probably-abusive mom threatened it a lot but never committed, and I didn't like in books when characters losing their hair was treated too lightly. You can a tell a book was written by a man or short-haired woman if a character who liked their hair gets over it too fast
That said I find the "haircut = character development" trope overplayed. Like as the above illustrates, I definitely understand why it'd be traumatic, but some people nowadays seem to see any development at all as requiring a haircut when the connection's not as strong. Like
>character with long hair cuts it because, IDK, their asshole ex liked long hair
at least makes sense but
>character is more mature so cuts their hair
doesn't really unless you establish they used to be obsessed with their hair earlier in the story. Like the haircut has to make sense narratively but too many writers use it as a crutch
I'd like to see more characters grow their hair for development, even though I get that's not as dramatic as it being cut instantly
