Being Blonde by Alexis M.

Even though some blondes make stupid decisions and don’t behave appropriately, doesn’t mean everyone with blonde hair is a “dumb blonde”.

First of all, no one has a choice about what he or she looks like. It all depends on genetics. Not only from your parents but also from generations before them. There are many different theories on how hair color, eye color, and skin tone are determined, hair color being one of the most complicated. According to one popular theory, at least two gene pairs control human hair color. One gene, which is a brown/blonde pair, has a dominant brown allele and a recessive blonde allele. A person with a brown allele will have brown hair; a person with no brown alleles will be blonde. This also explains why two brown-haired parents can produce a blonde-haired child. The other gene pair is a not-red/red pair, where the not-red allele (which suppresses production of pheomelanin) is dominant and the allele for red hair is recessive. Since the two gene pairs both govern hair color, a person with two copies of the red-haired allele will have red hair, but it will be either auburn or bright reddish orange depending upon whether the first gene pair gives brown or blonde hair, respectively. About 2% of the world’s population has naturally blonde hair. To determine the shade of hair depends on Eumelanin and Phaeomelanin levels. Eumelanin is black and brown, while Phaeomelanin is red. A rare shade of blonde is strawberry blonde. It takes both the blonde gene and the red. The most rare though is platinum. You’d need extremely low levels in both Eumelanin and Phaeomelanin. Platinum also happens to be the blonde most associated with the “dumb blonde” label. So, if a blonde had high Eumelanin level to the point it looked light brown, why don’t they get picked on? They still are “blonde”, even though it might look darker, so what gets them out of being labeled “dumb”? This actually would prove the lack of knowledge in whoever was behind the “dumb blonde” saying because it proved that they didn’t know the facts about hair genetics.

Also, there are plenty of people with blonde hair who have achieved great things. JK Rowling for example, is the much loved author of the Harry Potter fantasy series. Her books have gotten worldwide attention, been translated into 65 different languages, and sold over 400 million copies. The Sunday Times Rich List, in 2007, estimated Ms. Rowling’s fortune to be about £545 million. Forbes, ranked her as the 48th most powerful celebrity of 2007 and Time Magazine named Rowling as runner up for their 2007 “Person of the Year” noting the social, moral, and political inspiration she has given her fans. Madonna, while it might not seem like it, is a very important and powerful blonde. She’s managed to keep her career going for about 26 years and sell more than 200 million copies worldwide. She has a record of 12 number one singles, 22 top ten singles and the most weeks at number one with a total of 74 weeks. Recently, on March 10th, 2008, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The American business magnate, author, editor, and homemaking advocate, Martha Stewart, also has blonde hair. Over the past 20 years, she has written several books, hundreds of articles on the domestic arts, been editor of a national home keeping magazine, and hosted two popular daytime television programs. In 2001, Martha was named 3rd most powerful woman in America by Ladies Home Journal. This summer Hillary Clinton had the opportunity to be the democratic representative in the 2008 election. I don’t necessarily think it would be good to have someone labeled “dumb” in office… and even though she didn’t “win”, I can definitely tell she’s intelligent. Clinton attended Wellesley College, and in 1969 received national attention when she delivered an address as the first student to speak at commencement exercises. She graduated from Yale Law School in 1973 and then in 1975, she married Bill Clinton. She played a role in advocating for the establishment of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Adoption and Safe Families Act, and the Foster Care Independence Act. Hillary was elected senator for New York State in 2000. Currently she is running for president, and has won the most primaries and delegates of any woman in U.S. history. Sandra Day O’Connor was the first woman to serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. She served from 1981 to 2006. She also was the woman to fight for woman’s right to vote. In 2001, O’Connor was voted the 2nd most powerful woman in America by the Ladies Home Journal. One of my favorite actresses, Reese Witherspoon also is an intelligent, important blonde. The movie that really helped her career, Legally Blonde, completely proves blondes can do anything… and accomplish it in style. Reese owns a production company named ‘Type A Films’. She is involved in children’s and woman’s advocacy organizations. Witherspoon serves on the board of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), and was named Global Ambassador of Avon Products in 2007, serving as honorary chairman of the charitable Avon Foundation. The blonde known as “The People’s Princess” was probably the most loved and she also probably made the most difference. Princess Diana supported many different charities. She was a supporter of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, a campaign that went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1987, the Princess of Wales was one of the first high-profile celebrities to be photographed touching a person infected with HIV at the ‘chain of hope’ organization. Her contribution to changing the public pinion of AIDS sufferers was summarized in December 2001 by Bill Clinton at the ‘Diana, Princess of Whales Lecture on AIDS’. “In 1987, when so many still believed that AIDS could be contracted through casual contact, Princess Diana sat on the sickbed on a man with AIDS and held his hand. She showed the world that people with AIDS deserve no isolation, but compassion and kindness. It helped change world’s opinion, and gave hope to the people with AIDS.” –Bill Clinton. Diana also made unexpected visits to hospitals with specific instructions that the visit was to be concealed from the media. Her sudden death in 1997 from a car crash is currently the subject of inquest. Plus her sons, William (Blonde) and Harry (Strawberry Blonde) are second and third in line for the throne so that has to be worth something… Anyway, there are many successful blondes out there. And to call any of these people dumb would make no sense since they all have major accomplishments.

Yes, I will admit there are a lot of pretty stupid people out there that happen to be blonde. Britney Spears is definitely at the top of that list. There is no excuse for anyone whether blonde or brunette, male or female, famous or not… for some to have committed multiple crimes and not go to jail… well… not go to jail for more than a few hours. Anyone who is not a celebrity, wouldn’t be able to get away with it. With the paparazzi putting Britney and Paris in the news constantly, it’s easy to see where blondes get a bad name. But, Lindsay Lohan is not blonde… or she might be now but it’s not natural… and she is just as bad, if not worse. The same thing applies to Amy Winehouse. As much as I can see the people picturing blondes as these idiotic celebrities, there are still people who aren’t blonde who behave just as brainless.

Over all, blondes can be dumb, but so can everyone. As the wannabe blonde Hannah Montana would say, “Nobody’s Perfect”. No one’ s personality should be judged based on his or her hair color, skin color, age, height, religion, or anything but who they are as a person. For the intelligence thing, it‘s all about genetics. Blame your parents! “Dumb blonde” jokes hurt just as much as someone being racial or sexist. And… if blondes are so dumb, why do non-blondes pay to dye their hair?