Her New Hair-Do

The host of The Reid-Out, Joy Reid showed up this week with a new hairstyle. Okay, it’s not unusual for this cable journalist to show off a new look on her prime time evening slot. Way more than other television personalities she makes a point of purposely wearing “black fashion.”

Right along with the “spot-on job” she is doing Monday through Friday, Reid explains that she must consider the condition of her hair as well as the manner that it is styled. “I think that “Black women have come into our own in every aspect, insisting that we will be ourselves, including in the way we wear our hair, she says .” She continues “There’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to embrace our hair as it is, or how we reimagine it, and it’s an affirmation of our full arrival as citizens and cultural leaders. And yes, our natural hair is a political statement,”

Back in 2019 The Crown Act was passed in California ensuring protection all persons from discrimination based on hair style. To date 26 U.S. states have passed similar legislation so that any individual can wear their hair in a manner appropriate to their workplace. It must be noted that specific industries may require certain hair coverings for the sake of public health and safety but these strict regulations apply to everyone and does not amount to hair discrimination. By the way The C.R.O.W.N. stands for “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,”

While everyone should have the option of determining how they wear their hair, it also should be kept in mind that head shaving has been used to shame females. “For example, during World War II, some women accused of collaborating with the Nazis had their heads shorn and paraded in shame through the streets.” The truth is that many people are actually shocked by the sight of a bare female head as if it were an aberration of nature instead of a personal choice. Yet barely an eye is blinked when any male of any race or age actually decides to shave his head.

In America and up until the Roaring Twenties to be without a full mane of hair cascading to the shoulders was considered unfeminine, but the freedom-loving flappers couldn’t care less. With their “bobbed off” hair, they entered the WWI workforce, smoked, drank, and swore. Today many women are making similar statements with their shaved heads. They find it liberating to release themselves from the obsession of gaining “approval” though their physical looks. What is not so well known is that throughout ancient history women have chosen to shave their heads and wear elaborate wigs and headdresses. The Cut has profiled some these bold women.

Right now large groups of females are also wearing very short hair due for health reasons. Some are experiencing partial hair loss issues like alopecia areata. Others are facing hair loss from excessive stress or heavy-duty medications like chemotherapy. For these ladies “going short” allows them grow back their healthy hair back. Jada Pinkett Smith, Tyra Banks, Kristen Davis, Lea Michele, Gail Porter and Ariana Grande all find themselves in precisely this situation.

An interesting fact regarding Joy Reid’s new do is that she is the second female MSNBC host to shave her head. In May of 2022 Simone Saunders Townsend was added to the weekend lineup. She showed up equipped with a professional background and an extremely short hair style. With Alicia Menendez and Michael Steele she cohosts The Weekend every Saturday and Sunday morning. Reid and Saunders share something else. They have the same Dayology Signature.

#09 SUN SAG 12/8/1968 Joy Reid

#09 SUN SAG 12/10/1989 Symone Sanders-Townsend

Joy Reid and Symone Sanders Townsend were each born on Sunday in the zodiac sign of Sagittarius. They are clearly Solar/Jupiterian types with positive attitudes and wide interests. The Sun rules their INNER SELVES and Jupiter governs their OUTER SELVES. All individuals with the #09 Dayology Signature can point out “the silver lining within every cloud.”

Both women were born close to the same degree of Sagittarius. This SUN conjunction means that they can sense their basic similarities yet still go their own way. They may choose not to work together but they can certainly support each other’s interests. Being born 21 years apart means they belong to two different generations. They are bound to approach issues and problems differently, but can appreciate each other’s efforts. Being that both are Sunday Children, they may not agree precisely on the manner that power should be dispensed.

Jupiter is the ruler of Sagittarius. The differences in OUTER LIFE of these two women can be traced to the zodiac sign where Jupiter was located on the day of their births. Joy Reid has her Jupiter in in Libra explaining her knack for attracting attention to her activism. She delights in differences between cultures and the free-exchange of points of view. The Jupiter of Symone Sanders-Townsend is placed retrograde in the sign of Cancer. She responds more emotionally to the matters contributing to the personal and collective well-being of others. Protective and nurturing by nature, belonging to meaningful groups is very important to her.