Have you ever had a fiery desire to shave your head? It’s surprisingly still a radical thing to do. Despite shaved head women such as Angelina Jolie, Halsey, and Keke Palmer being among the famous celebrities who have opted for a buzz cut at one point or another, it’s still a bit taboo. However, I am proud to be among the women who have joined the “shaved hair club”!

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Why Did I Shave My Head?

My name is Cricket Guest, I am artist, model, actress, filmmaker and writer who is passionate about activism. There were many reasons as to why I decided to shave my head. It was largely based on my issues with a lack of representation, specifically in the beauty pageant world.

My Early Pageant Years

I began competing in beauty pageants at 14 years old. I started my journey at a local charity beauty pageant in my hometown in which all the proceeds go to childhood cancer. From there, one thing led to another until just weeks after turning 18 I won the title “Top Model of Canada” which means the opportunity to represent Canada and compete internationally in 2017. Immediately after being crowned, I thanked the judges and coordinators for the opportunity. Before even starting “congratulations” they begin listing off things I need to change about myself – including, but not limited to comments about body weight and hair.

Photo by Chau Tran

These comments immediately struck a nerve. Fortunately at this point in my pageant journey I had the confidence and awareness to separate that their comments weren’t directed at me as a person, they were directed at me as their new commodity. However, their comments left me thinking of the hundreds of young girls these same people work with, some of the girls being as young as I was when I first started. My journey with pageantry and modelling in itself had been riddled with various unhealthy habits. I became fixated on winning a crown, to my younger self winning the crown would bring me happiness.