I've learned that hair loss does not mean loss of love or opportunity.
The sun had just begun its ascent and I was beginning mine—staring into the shiny lens of a camera, gripping a microphone and praying the words that came out of my mouth made some semblance of sense. At 29 years old, I was finally getting to do what I’d always wanted to do: report live on television.
The mirror haunted me. I shuddered at the rows of bright-white scalp intersecting my hair like highlights, the widening circular patch on the crown of my head, the receding hairline at my temples. I was consumed by my hair. I pored over the internet and consulted doctors. Apparently, a genetic predisposition meant my hair was destined to thin; being under significant stress from the breakup fast-tracked the process.
And then one day it hit me. A dawning deep inside whispered that my hair loss could be a good thing. Over time, the whisper became a nudge, a realization that living with a progressive condition meant I may never have as much hair again or look the way I did before. If I want to chase my dreams, I need to do it exactly as I am.Eventually, I built up the courage to pitch live segments to my boss, allowing me to show my face...and my hair.
Unfortunately, as things happen in the highly-subjective business of TV news, a new boss didn’t accept my appearance. Sitting across from him in his office, he said while he appreciated my energy, I lacked polish. While his criticism pierced, it had nothing to do with my actual hair—it had everything to do with what society values most in women. If I wanted to be on air, I would have to go somewhere else.
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