Female Barbers: Revolutionizing Barbering
Barbering is an age-old craft, but is it outdated in terms of gender equality? When most people think of barbers their first assumption is that the worker will be a man. The term barber is even up for debate on popular forum sites such as Reddit and Quora, questioning if the term is gender-neutral.
Though small, female barbers do in fact exist! About 16% of barbers are women; many of them are senior barbers or even become influencers on social media. CADMEN has a number of female barbers, each having a list of clients that are frequently returning and satisfied. Here are some narratives surrounding women in barbering.
Dealing With Expectations
Being a female barber isn’t very common, meaning people will likely judge you before they meet you. Don’t worry too much about this, your skills will speak for themselves! Justine, a senior barber at CAMDEN repeatedly gets asked for directions around the shop, men will ask “Where can I find the barber?” while speaking directly to her. Unfortunately, female barbers have to deal with these misconceptions on a daily basis. When dealing with potential clients it is important to be conscious about how you navigate crude comments, work them to your advantage, and prove them wrong!
Justine’s haircuts and colour work
Female Barbers Are Just As Capable As Male Barbers!!!
Women can have barbering skills too! Many people assume that because a woman is not a man she can’t possibly understand how to cut a man’s hair or how they desire their hair to be cut; this is untrue. Just as men hairstylists exist so do female barbers. Recently clapping back at Instagram trolls who doubted her barbering skills, Thao, a senior barber at CAMDEN found the comments to be backward. One user asked, “How can women cut beards when they don’t have one”, Thao swiftly responded stating, “How does a doctor treat an illness they’ve never had?
When given the same opportunity women reach the same potential as men. Gender does not define expertise.
Why Female Barbers Are Growing!
Barbering is changing, and this is opening the door for many women. Gender equality is slowly becoming a universal standard, allowing for women to pursue their passions. Although there is still a set of struggles women face in barbering, it is crucial to persevere.
Use your femininity as an attribute! Being a woman in a male-dominated workspace doesn’t have to be a hindrance, use your perception of hair and grooming to advise men, they would probably appreciate it!
Build your clientele! Luckily men tend to be loyal to their barbers, after a good haircut or too it is most likely that they will be returning for what feels like ages. After breaking the barrier you will have a loyal customer.
Take advantage of the growing space! Female barbers are still scarce, use this to your benefit. Some barbershops are looking to become a more inclusive environment, reach out, and stand out.
If you are interested in barbering and want to start a career in it, CADMEN can help you. We offer online and offline barber programs instructed by master barbers. Click HERE for more information on online programs and HERE on offline programs.