Haircutting in Santa Cruz
Our personal appearance impacts the way our neighbors treat us, and even more so how we treat ourselves. For the members of our community who cannot get access to basic hygiene items and services, the reality remains grim. One research article highlighted that “personal appearance was paramount to the ability to gain access to official spaces and people.” (1) In one survey, surveyors identified unsheltered people as homeless if they looked “disheveled” or had dirty clothing. We are unable to confront the cognitive dissonance we experience when we see someone who looks “disheveled” walking among us as a product of our community. We may tell ourselves that their situation is a fault of their own. Otherwise, we would be implying that the system that has benefitted us so far, is unjust and unfair, and that is psychologically uncomfortable for who is to blame? So instead of treating our neighbors with respect, we are visually bothered by them, and we institute policies to push them out of sight. There are endless examples of companies that would not take homeless people in for job interviews, and deny them entrance into their buildings due to their appearance. This creates a severed relationship between the two communities and a sense of bitterness towards one another. Severed relationships add layers of dehumanization to our neighbors as they are not seen of value to be recognized by society. This dehumanization deteriorates the mental health of the homeless community, helping perpetuate the cycle of homelessness.
From a mental standpoint, your appearance affects how you think about yourself. Having poor hygiene results in decreased confidence levels and outlook on life. Changes as simple as wearing fresh clothes or getting a haircut can dramatically boost confidence levels and mood. Provided with a more positive mindset, and a look that encourages others to treat them with humanity, our unsheltered neighbors would be able to pursue goals such as job interviews and work in order to break their cycle of poverty. Amending this issue would also lower barriers in connecting the homeless community and society. Corporations do not consider homeless-looking people as acceptable to work in their company with the assumption that they are lazy and incapable of doing work. Helping the homeless look more presentable combats the stereotype of them being indolent and incompetent. Companies would begin to hire the homeless and accept them into their workforce, creating the first step in ending the cycle of homelessness.
The homeless community is a lonely one. An immense amount of homeless individuals are isolated from their community and ostracized from society. Research has found that “Lower levels of social ties are associated with poorer individual functioning and worse prognosis,” (2) and “prolonged loneliness can be as harmful to your health as smoking or obesity.” (2). Although treating physical sickness and diseases plays an important role, the homeless community’s mental health can be just as important. An individual having poor mental health can be just as damaging as if they have a physical illness. Free community hygiene services are a step in the right direction in order to address these needs. With “overall social support reduced among homeless persons with mental illness,” (3) community services can serve as an immediate benefit to combat malnourished social sustenance in the community. Establishing a weekly haircutting clinic would create a service where the homeless can be welcomed in and not only get a haircut but also connect with others in their community. Sitting in a chair and telling your life story to someone is refreshing for those who do not regularly have human interaction. This form of support acts as a conduit for homeless individuals to be heard and accepted into their community while also providing them with an essential healthcare resource.
Citations
Speer, Jessie. "Urban makeovers, homeless encampments, and the aesthetics of displacement." Social & Cultural Geography 20.4 (2019): 575-595.
Cacioppo, John T., and William Patrick. Loneliness: Human nature and the need for social connection. WW Norton & Company, 2008.
Calsyn, Robert J., and Joel P. Winter. "Social support, psychiatric symptoms, and housing: A causal analysis." Journal of Community Psychology 30.3 (2002): 247-259.