Are You an Actual Headbanger?

Couple of reasons for that.

First, it doesn't make sense to talk about any genre, culture, or scene – any area at all, really – without a certain definition that outlines those traits that are MAKING it an area to begin with.

Second, the way the logic of subcultures (including metal) works is that you become part of it by adapting those aforementioned traits into your identity.

Which is what I've done. Metal is a huge part of who I am. And, case in point, that includes having hair of a certain length.

Primarily because it's cool to throw your hair around to metal music. But also to stand up to the lame cultural norm dictating that the length of one's hair should necessarily reflect one's gender, and that the male gender just so happens to have drawn the shortest straw (pun may or may not be intended) in that regard.

Long hair isn't only masculine; it can – according to my exes, anyway – be "hella sexy" on guys.

As a metalhead and a comparatively intelligent human being, I hate restricted worldviews and prejudices. And having grown up in an uncultured suburb, I hate the cretinous way those prejudices and worldviews are often expressed. (I.e.: "GET A HAIRCUT HIPPIE OMGLOL".)

It's a shame that norms dictate that long hair should be reserved for females. Because long hair isn't only masculine; it can – according to my exes, anyway – be "hella sexy" on guys.

But do metalheads necessarily HAVE to have long hair?

Of course not. Of course the music and the love for it comes before everything else. Just like you don't start out by naming your band Cannibal Corpse and THEN agreeing on playing death metal rather than swing jazz. And also, there can be practical reasons to keep one's hair short.

Anyone who doesn't know the rush in thrashing their mane around when the opening riff in "Painkiller" sets in, won't know the real, unspoiled joy of being a metalhead.

I already mentioned the primary reason: You wanna have something to throw around when you're listening to metal. Anyone who doesn't know the rush in thrashing their mane uncontrollably around them when the opening riff in "Painkiller" sets in, simply won't know the real, unspoiled joy of being a metalhead.

Headbanging has been among the foremost conventions in metal culture since the initally mentioned golden age. Metal simply wouldn't be the same without it.

But there's another reason as well:

Metalheads will always be a minority, no matter what country you go to. (One possible exception being Finland, of course.)

Even though throughout the 21st century, the genre seems to have become more and more popular, it's still the fewest normal people who have enough calluses on their eardrums to be able to stand very many seconds of even relatively digestible bands like Scorpions or Maiden. Hell, there are even those extra-weird people who, for some reason, claim to not be into AC/DC.

By pure principle, it shouldn't be ANY harder to be taken into consideration for ANY job just because you have long hair, or because your t-shirt has a metal band's logo on it.

Another side to this has to do with the cultural dresscode. When you wear your love for metal on your sleeve (i.e., on your t-shirt and/or your battle vest), you will trigger certain people's prejudices. And it's not far between prejudice and discrimination.

By discrimination, I'm not just thinking of people getting beat up for having long hair, or even the countries where metal is banned, and the musicians live in fear of persecution. I'm also thinking that, by pure fucking principle if nothing else, it shouldn't be ANY harder to be taken into consideration for ANY job just because you have long hair, or because your t-shirt has a metal band's logo on it.

We need to move past that shit already. ALL of it.

Not gonna tell you what to do. But if nothing more, I will strongly suggest making that difference and growing your damn hair. Sure, it might look a little weird after a while and for another 6 to 12 months. But just like when running a marathon or getting a tattoo, you don't stop until you're done.

So keep at it. Grow your mane as long as possible, and thrash it around to "Painkiller". Only then will you know the real, unspoiled joy of being a metalhead.

(Unless, of course, long hair REALLY does look bad on you. In that case, it's okay to keep it short.)