People Staring

[eag743il]

have any of you caught people staring at ur bald head, it happens to me a lot, i think that they are trying to figure out if im naturally bald or shaved, the truth is a bit of both, and does it make u guys feel self conscious?

[Tyler]

I've noticed that too.  Especially when I first started shaving my head.  It made me self concious, but after having a bunch of people tell me they liked my look with a shaved head, I didn't get as concious when I cought people staring. 

They probably think your a good looking dude. 

I've also noticed now that babies stare at me a lot.  My wife noticed it also.  I think they can relate to me since neither of us have hair and I'm just a kid in a mans body.

[gidbg]

I noticed alot of people staring when i first started shaving my head. But now it seems like the "in" thing to do and us bald guys are everywhere.  Its like someone decided it looks cool to be bald and over night everyone is bald.

[older]

Just remember that the people staring have the problem, not you. They probably wonder what they would look like if bald.

I have twin grandsons about 27 years old and when we greet they have a fetish that they run their hands over my bald head.

[happyharry]

Bald people are not as common a sight to make most people feel comfortable with them. So, of course there'll be looks and there'll be staring.
I'm refering to people who shave their heads here, not bald people like Danny deVito for instance, who's only partially bald.

I think there's still this weird connotation regarding bald people (those that shave and have no hair left on their skull): "dangerous", "evil", "skinhead", "inmate"...
Many people feel a little uncomfortable or even intimidated around bald people.

It's also about being different. Bald people are different, and even if it's just because they're a minority. So they get attention.
It's like with black people in the US. White people don't get that much attention simply because they're more abundant, because
they're a more common sight.

There was this black fellow in the UK who made an experiment: through the use of a mask and makeup he turned himself into a white fellow for
a few days. And he said the most remarkable thing he noticed was the fact that he didn't get noticed. He didn't get as much attention being a white person now.

I believe that once bald people become a more common sight, things will normalise and people won't stare (that much).

Here's something funny I've experienced so far: People seem to treat me with more respect and more courtesy since I started shaving my head.
They probably feel a little intimidated.
But when I meet them, talk to them (real nice), they realise that I'm a nice guy. And they go "pheww...I'm so glad he didn't rip my head off...man, he's actually a very nice guy. I like him...". And once they've gotten over that intimidation, they relax and they treat me even better.

That's one of the nice byproducts of being bald, I guess. You just have to let your shaved head work for you...lol

[junior]

i like the attention in some cases makes you stand out from the crowd

[Baldego]

Oh Yeah they Stare Constantly,  ....... They usually ask if i choose to shave or not.

[Tony13]

Children tend to stare at my head a lot.  Funniest thing is, soon after I shaved my head, I would end up staring at myself for long periods of time whenver there was a mirror around.  It wasn't out of vanity of admiration, but out of shock.

But now I can't even imagine myself with hair anymore.

[Tyler]

I hear ya on both items...LOL.  My wife gets so jealous because all the kids will come over to me instead of her.  She thinks it's because they like my bald head.  Whenever I walk by a baby, they will follow me with their eyes - it's pretty funny.

I used to stare at myself a lot when I first started shaving.  I thought for a while that I was becoming vain, but them I realized that it was like getting a new toy, car, or something...you just want to admire it for a while.

Welcome to Sly Bald Guys!

Children tend to stare at my head a lot.  Funniest thing is, soon after I shaved my head, I would end up staring at myself for long periods of time whenver there was a mirror around.  It wasn't out of vanity of admiration, but out of shock.

But now I can't even imagine myself with hair anymore.

[Pyronius]

I actually had a black gentleman try to pick a fight with me at the gas station as I was pumping my gas, calling me a nazi and crap.

Against my better judgement I told him I would be happy to curb stomp him, not because he was black but because he was stupid.

Was prob a bit out of line, but I get just as pissed about reverse racism as I do racism. That and I am pretty sure there were bald guys long before neo nazi's or regular nazi's for that matter.......

[Tyler]

Pyronious, I know how you feel.  I've been subjected to that type of ignorance before as well.  Not always by someone of another race, but by people that think I'm an evil person because I shave my head.  You can see my post about the "Though Guy reaction here: http://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/index.php?topic=12.0

I get mad when people think I'm racist, but I've learned to tackle it head on.  I had an encounter the other day with a middle eastern gentleman that made a comment about me being racist because I told him he was being rude to a counter clerk.  I just politely let him know that I'm sorry he feels that way without knowing me, but if he did know me he would know that I'm married to a filipino woman, I have a balck brother in-law, and soon to be chinese sister in-law, all whom I love very much.  And, that him being rude had nothing to do with me being racist.

I was discussion this with my co-worker the other day who shaves his head and he was saying that people will avoid him on the sidewalk and he has had a guy at the gym that tried to befriend him because he thought my co-worker shaved his head out of white pride.

I guess this can be one of the disadvantages of shaving your head as a white guy.

I actually had a black gentleman try to pick a fight with me at the gas station as I was pumping my gas, calling me a nazi and crap.

Against my better judgement I told him I would be happy to curb stomp him, not because he was black but because he was stupid.

Was prob a bit out of line, but I get just as pissed about reverse racism as I do racism. That and I am pretty sure there were bald guys long before neo nazi's or regular nazi's for that matter.......

[Yeti]

 The best advise I can give is totally be yourself. I know it's sounds simplistic, but here is a personal story showing some things I learned.
  I was a bald, white, Correctional Officer who worked in a State  Mens Maximum Security Prison. We also housed Federal Detainees, as well as Safekeepers (Sexual Predators who had been civally committed for life). When I was new there, already a long time bald "Yeti" with a goatee. Obviously it goes without saying we had gang elements of every type inside. Now, in my case, in which I base everything on "Safety first". I made it abundantly clear that I was "NOT" affiliated with any gangs, obviously I wasn't. Please allow me to explain a little bit. I did not go out and tell inmates, etc. That would be a stupid attempt. It's all about gaining respect, very much more on the inside, so, with my Firm, Fair, & Consistant attitude inmates came to realize I was one of the "good" C.O. I treated all the same, give respect, get it in return. They knew I would not get them in trouble for little things that are trivial, but with my discretion anything, "safety" oriented, I was zero tolerance.
  A second note, spoken about briefly in another thread, is the fact I have visible tattooes... now, this makes me stand out "even more" as a potential rascist. Now, I just happen to be a collector of tattooes from all sorts of cultures (Egyptian, Chinese, Japanese, Polynesian (sp?), Tibetan, & others). This was a wonderful method of showing all races, on the inside, that I was the true Yeti...  "Good to all who gave me respect.."  8-)  Once again thanks for listening... Sheese I feel like quite the story teller here in our new home. hehe I guess, hey, that's what a forum is for, right? hehe Anyways, I am very open & honest, so I hope my lil stories are enjoyable to read. All my best, ~Yeti

[PigPen]

I get a lot of people that don't know how to react. Only with my shirt off though. Reason being, the tattoo on my back is a Confederate Battle Flag, head of a Bald Eagle and the American Flag. Most people immediately think Skinhead or KKK. If they wanna think that, I say fine. If they wanna get to know me, I'm cool with that too. I just like seeing peoples faces when I peel off my shirt.

[happyharry]

Yeti, I have to say I'm glad you joined the forum.

You're a funny and accessible Yeti (we get to see more than just your footprints in the snow), and it's a pleasure to have someone like you on board.

Looking forward to reading your future posts...

PS: by the way, how did you get your nickname? Share your story...

[Yeti]

 hehe Thx bro.. I appreciate that. As far as my nickname, well it was given to me, by some friends, many years ago. For a variety of reasons. I am rather muscular, rather hairy (all but my melon lol), love to eat, and am considered a "monster" due to my being a Defensive Tactics Instructor for the State of IA, not too mention 8 years wrestling growing up (in Iowa-Wrestling territory!    ), some Amateur MMA experience (NHB sanctioned fighting), etc. My background is very thorough. I never speak of my MOS or what I did in the Corp, only that I am a former Marine, and as I have stated before, spent 5 years as a Police Officer (until an injury that required 2 surgeries and over a year in a cast above an elbow.. ugh) and then 5 years as a Correctional Officer as well, not to mention all of the Private Security I have done. A little Executive Protection, Bouncing, among other gigs. Only (going on 36) years of age, but I have been around.. hehe  As far as my D.T. Instructor status, that means I train Police Officers in several areas. (i.e. Weapon Retention, Pressure Point Control Tactics, Come-alongs, Takedowns, knife fighting, etc.)  I'm a baad Yeti heheehe   But most find me very friendly and outgoing, as my typing here hopefully shows.  8-)  I love you humans... lol   ...cheers ~Yeti