The perception and politics of gray hair

When salons closed during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many women decided to embrace their natural hair color. For some, that meant going gray. And now, many have decided to ditch the hair dye permanently. 

But the decision to embrace your gray can be met with ageism and sexism by those around you. In response, women have found support in online groups that celebrate the beauty of gray hair. What have men found? And why are young people who are decades away from going gray coloring their hair that way? 

Host Angela Davis talks about the way that society perceives gray hair. And she talks with two women who went gray. 

Guests: 

• Anne Kreamer is an author and entrepreneur. She wrote the book “Going Gray: What I Learned about Beauty, Sex, Work, Motherhood, Authenticity, and Everything Else That Matters” 

• Sasha Aslanian is a correspondent and producer for APM Reports. She wrote an essay earlier this year about embracing her gray hair

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