Movements in Christian women's groups

[Seasider]

Ok, I have noticed a couple of trends in the last year or so among some area home school moms I know.

 

First, letting hair go gray. I mean, in drastic, cold-turkey ways. All of a sudden a whole gang of women I'm acquainted with are doing this.

 

Then, the physical challenge thing. Like, they train and train together and then travel together to go climb a mountain or run a half marathon.

 

I know this is a bizarre question, it's just that the people involved and the timing and other little factors have me wondering if there's a recently popular Christian women's leader advocating these things.

 

Sound familiar to anyone? Or am i just coincidentally surrounded by a ton of women doing these things at the same time?

Edited November 28, 2017 by Seasider

[Rachel]

I’ve not noticed this. Most of my friends aren’t going gray yet though. They may have a gray hair or two but no significant graying yet.

[BlsdMama]

Ok, I have noticed a couple of trends in the last year or so among some area home school moms I know.

 

First, letting hair go gray. I mean, in drastic, cold-turkey ways. All of a sudden a whole gang of women I'm acquainted with are doing this.

 

Then, the physical challenge thing. Like, they train and train together and then travel together to go climb a mountain or run a half marathon.

 

I know this is a bizarre question, it's just that the people involved and the timing and other little factors have me wondering if there's a recently popular Christian women's leader advocating these things.

 

Sound familiar to anyone? Or am i just coincidentally surrounded by a ton of women doing these things at the same time?

 

 

This isn't a Christian thing.

 

 

Women are going gray.  They are starting to realize it is crazy ridiculous for a 60 year old woman to look like she's 20.  They're starting to appreciate natural beauty and I think Christian women may  appreciate the way they are made naturally perhaps more than others.

 

The physical challenge thing - again this is just a societal shift.  I know many non Christians who get together with groups of friends and do challenges like mud runs, color runs, etc.   Christian women just tend to hang out in Christian women's groups so that makes sense. 

[bethben]

..

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited November 28, 2017 by bethben

[creekland]

My mom did this 20 or 30 years ago.  She's not a Christian and wasn't then either.  She just enjoyed being "natural" and going out and doing things with friends (mountain hiking, biking, badminton, travel, etc).

 

I don't see a thing at all wrong with it.  If it's becoming more common, I suspect that's a good thing.

[FriedClams]

I haven't seen this at all.

[Seasider]

Ok, it's just had me wondering because the cohorts I'm noticing it in do happen to be clusters of Christian women. And many are younger than 60, say mid 40's to mid 50's on the hair and all ages for the running/hiking thing. I truly just wondered if there were someone folding these practices into her teachings on Christian living.

 

I am a Christian, just doing studies with my mixed gender small group the last few years, so not familiar with the newer popular women's teachers.

Edited November 28, 2017 by Seasider

[DawnM]

This isn't a Christian thing.

 

 

Women are going gray.  They are starting to realize it is crazy ridiculous for a 60 year old woman to look like she's 20.  They're starting to appreciate natural beauty and I think Christian women may  appreciate the way they are made naturally perhaps more than others.

 

The physical challenge thing - again this is just a societal shift.  I know many non Christians who get together with groups of friends and do challenges like mud runs, color runs, etc.   Christian women just tend to hang out in Christian women's groups so that makes sense. 

My SIL colored her hair for years.  She was 55 and looked 40 to 45 or so.  One day she stopped.  Her hair went 100% gray and it washed her out (she actually has similar skin tone to me.....red hair, fair skin) and she looks 60 or older.  

 

I don't see anything wrong with coloring if you choose to.

[Bluegoat]

I do think there are more women going with their natural hair colour.  I think one thing with the grey may be that there has been a fad recently of younger people dying their hair grey.  It might be that it's influenced some older women just to go for it and let their hair grow out.

 

But it could be something else in pop culture like a grey celebrity, or even a thing around saving money.  It can take a fair bit of time and money to keep grey but coloured hair looking good.

[Crimson Wife]

I have a bunch of friends (who live in different places and AFAIK don't know each other) doing something called "Fit for Christ". I haven't asked them about it since I don't really talk religion with them except in very general terms due to denominational/sectarian differences (I'm Roman Catholic and these folks are Evangelical Protestants).

[Seasider]

I'm It can take a fair bit of time and money to keep grey but coloured hair looking good.

Yes, I remember a while back we had a discussion about Emmylou Harris's gorgeous gray. I'm sure she's truly gray, but I bet she has lots of help maintaining that beautiful 'natural' look. It sure is pretty, though!

[KungFuPanda]

It doesn’t sound religious. It sounds like a groupie of menopausal friends who’ve made a pact to please themselves for once :-) They’ve hit the age where they don’t care what people think of them. ðŸ˜

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I would love for going gray naturally and having fun on runs and camping trips and such, to be what we do now, instead of the tupperware parties and Beth Moore conferences. 

 

Somebody send me a starter packet for my church. (LOL)

[solascriptura]

I haven’t noticed that all. I have observed the selling of Essential oils.

[Seasider]

I would love for going gray naturally and having fun on runs and camping trips and such, to be what we do now, instead of the tupperware parties and Beth Moore conferences.

 

Somebody send me a starter packet for my church. (LOL)

lol right??? I was wondering what I've been missing out on!!!

[Wheres Toto]

I agree that it's not a Christian thing.  I know a lot of women around my age (48) who have decided to stop coloring their hair.   I know them from my kick-boxing class so I guess that goes along with the exercise too.

[Tanaqui]

There was a long-term study done... some time ago. Anyway, what this study found is that groups of people do things together. The biggest predictor of whether or not you'll quit smoking? Whether or not your friends quit smoking! If two people in a group quit, it ripples out to everybody. Same for going on a diet, getting more exercise, putting a solar panel on your roof, and probably coloring your hair.

 

I'll have to dig it up if you want me to cite it, and the solar panel part is from a wholly different study, but that probably explains what you're seeing. One or two movers in your own group have moved in this direction, and so it's spreading out from them.

[6packofun]

I think these are trends in general and then women in community (like a church, etc.) take them on together. It can seem sort of clique-ish, but that's only because women tend to do things in exclusive kinds of groups, IMO, but more for support and camaraderie. No ill intent, usually.  (Not saying you think so, but I've wondered at times!  LOL)

[Miss Peregrine]

There is a Christian woman/blogger/author who decide in the last few months to quit coloring her hair. Sarah Mae. Maybe they are following her.

 

 

Edited November 28, 2017 by Miss Peregrine

[nixpix5]

I haven't noticed the hair coloring but definitely there is trends towards rock climbing, hiking, mud obstacle courses, kickboxing and crossfit is huge. It seems to be everyone though but I do notice it in the Christian community.

[J-rap]

I'm not part of a Christian woman's group myself, but several women I know all go to the same church and seem to be part of the same close group of women there.  I do notice that they tend to take on certain trends at the same time, often health-oriented.  Recently, it's hot drinks made with turmeric and such.  :)  I like that their common trends seem to be health-conscious.  I think what maybe is striking is how they all seem to be doing the same trend at the same time, and every year it seems to be something new.

 

Maybe that's not uncommon among a group of friends, whatever their background.  But, I do seem to notice it among this group.

[bettyandbob]

I haven't noticed the grey hair thing. I like it. I hope it's not a fad.

 

There are lots of fitness oriented mom's groups near me, both formally organized and informal. I think that's a trend unrelated to religion.

[Pawz4me]

Gray hair has been very "in" for several years now. I'm 54 and stopped having mine colored almost exactly a year ago. I think the fact that it's fashionable/very acceptable now to be gray certainly contributed to my decision, but mostly I was just tired of having it done, was grappling with the cold hard fact that if I was going to keep it up I was going to have to start having it done more frequently, and wondering at what point it would look really weird and sad for an "older" woman to have hair that looked like it belonged on a 25 yo. Plus there was a benefit to stopping then, when I really didn't  yet have a huge amount of gray, and letting it  go natural . . . naturally. No awkward transition period, no obvious line of demarcation, etc.

 

I think the extreme (and sometimes weird) physical challenge thing has been an "in" thing for awhile now, too.

 

It's not really surprising that groups of people who associate closely with each other tend to do the same things. Humans have been that way since the beginning of time, haven't they? We get ideas from our friends/associates, or become inspired or intrigued by the things they do and decide to try it for ourselves.

 

FWIW I no longer identify as Christian and don't belong to any groups.

[Elizabeth86]

Idk I don't know many women's groups really, but I have no intentions of dying my hair and I have a ton of white hairs at 31. Nothing to be ashamed of your body doing what it does naturally. Like my dad always points out hair dye and make up really just doesn't hide old. He appreciates my mom being natural. It's true she really looks better than most of her friends that obsess about their wrinkles and white hair. I take comfort in knowing I had it going on once upon a time. I had my youthful days and now there are more important things than looks. Dh ain't going anywhere. :lol:

[kewb]

I don't think it is a Christian thing. I stopped coloring my hair in my 40's, almost 10 years ago now, and never looked back. I love my natural cruella d'vil look. I always hated the time I had to take to color it. Acceptance for aging the way one sees fit is a good thing. If you want to color your hair,go ahead. Don't want to color your hair, that is good, too.

The getting for together I see as a societal shift in priorities. Also a good thing.

Women doing what makes them happy instead of fitting into some box the patriarchy says they have to fit in. Power to the people.

[Guest]

Not with the Christian community specifically, but I know there was a national campaign about going grey because my friend was one of the models interviewed. I’ll see if I can get it and put in a link. The woman whom I know did once homeschool and is a Christian, though.

 

https://www.aarp.org/disrupt-aging/video-disrupt-aging/info-2017/benefits-of-going-gray-video.html

Edited November 28, 2017 by Quill

[Lizzie in Ma]

I had no idea that was a thing.  I've been letting my hair go gray naturally for a few years now and I love it because it is silver and gorgeous and I earned every one of them. ;)

[cintinative]

I have been struggling with feeling like I am the only one letting my hair go gray. It's a financial decision for me really--I can't afford to have it done in a salon, and I know once I start, I am pretty much looking at doing it for the rest of my life.  Sometimes though I feel really out of place when seemingly everyone else dyes their hair, does highlights, etc.  I only know of a couple people who even use box color.  Everyone else goes to a salon.  I sometimes think it is a socioeconomic thing because our area is upper middle class.  We're sort of outliers here. There is one other person I am aware of that made a decision to let the gray come in. 

 

About five years ago I started on a fitness track that included strength training as well as cardio--no kickboxing that you are describing. I have noticed more women doing the strength training and really it makes sense for us to do that--it helps with bone health, overall stature, and it just plain feels good to be strong.

[creekland]

Ok, it's just had me wondering because the cohorts I'm noticing it in do happen to be clusters of Christian women. And many are younger than 60, say mid 40's to mid 50's on the hair and all ages for the running/hiking thing. I truly just wondered if there were someone folding these practices into her teachings on Christian living.

 

I am a Christian, just doing studies with my mixed gender small group the last few years, so not familiar with the newer popular women's teachers.

 

Well, my mom is 74 now and she's been doing these things since I left for college in the mid 80s so that would have put her in her 40s and 50s at the time.

 

I really don't think it's anything new under the sun.  Maybe she was ahead of her time, but then again, so were all the ladies (and a few guys - clubs were co-ed) she did things with.  This was in rural NY.

 

It doesn’t sound religious. It sounds like a groupie of menopausal friends who’ve made a pact to please themselves for once :-) They’ve hit the age where they don’t care what people think of them. ðŸ˜

 

I've always been at this age - at least - since I left high school.  ;)

 

I never had any intention of coloring my hair and totally skip all fashion news that's out there in any media.  I don't need others telling me what to wear (or not) or do (or not).  I pretty much have always liked making my own decisions.  I've no plan on changing.

[marbel]

I haven't noticed anything like that.  There have always been women walking and/or running through  my neighborhood, and I know a few people who go to the Y and such. But it is not anything  new.

 

As for hair, some people dye it, and some don't.  I think it's interesting that when people are talking about older women dying their hair/covering gray, it's assumed that they are trying to hide their age, can't accept their natural aging, etc. And it's said that the hair color looks unnatural.  Yet, when young women dye their hair unnatural colors, or do an extreme change (such as going from natural dark hair to blonde), it's looked at as just women having fun with their hair and doing what pleases them.  

 

My gray hair - which I have had since my 20s - is not a beautiful silver but rather a more iron-gray color.  My hair when not colored is thin and wispy and unmanageable.  I color it a lighter version than my old natural hair color.  I'm not trying to hide anything but doing what pleases me.  I'm sure one of these days I will stop but I'm not ready to deal with that ugly, thin, bodyless, gray hair yet.   :-)

Edited November 28, 2017 by marbel

[FriedClams]

Ironically, I moved to an area with a ton of retirees. Very active, very fit retirees. With my natural gray I looked WAY older than I am, and with all of them dressed and dyed, I felt like I needed to step it up. Not to be cool, but more "these older ladies ROCK - fit, healthy, active, pretty, etc" so I've gone back to dying and am inspired by them to keep moving more so I can be awesome at 75 like they are!

[Hikin' Mama]

I'm a 50 yo Christian woman who dyes her hair. I'm also pretty active, but either do things by myself or with one or two good friends. Of all the other Christian women I know, some dye their hair and some don't. I haven't noticed whole groups of women doing so, but I have to admit that I'm not really paying much attention.

 

As far as groups of women doing things, I know Christian and non-Christians who do this. I attributed it to the fact that some people like to do things in big groups and some people (me) don't.

[creekland]

I think it's interesting that when people are talking about older women dying their hair/covering gray, it's assumed that they are trying to hide their age, can't accept their natural aging, etc. And it's said that the hair color looks unnatural.  Yet, when young women dye their hair unnatural colors, or do an extreme change (such as going from natural dark hair to blonde), it's looked at as just women having fun with their hair and doing what pleases them.  

 

I suspect this is because older women who do it often openly say they are doing it to avoid looking old and younger folks who do it (male or female) openly say they do it because they are having fun.  ;)

 

At least that's how it goes in my circles - mainly at high school.

 

YMMV

 

FWIW, I do not care who does or doesn't.  I'm totally for people getting to be themselves however they choose to do so (assuming it doesn't affect someone else, of course, and hair coloring does not).

[Seasider]

I suspect this is because older women who do it often openly say they are doing it to avoid looking old and younger folks who do it (male or female) openly say they do it because they are having fun. ;)

 

At least that's how it goes in my circles - mainly at high school.

 

YMMV

 

FWIW, I do not care who does or doesn't. I'm totally for people getting to be themselves however they choose to do so (assuming it doesn't affect someone else, of course, and hair coloring does not).

Oh, to be clear, I don't care either who does what to their hair, it was just noticeable to me that two distinct peer circles I'm acquainted with seem to have all decided to cold-turkey quit coloring. Had me wondering if a larger "movement" were afoot. I like that AARP video linked upthread (tho I'm not sure where I stand on the AARP itself 😂).

[mommaduck]

I think it's more that going gray is becoming more acceptable. Yes, some of those that have been homeschooling advocates AND Christian have been rocking the gray and white, possibly making it more acceptable also. The societal shift has been towards health also. Dying one's hair is NOT healthy (in general, no speaking towards vegan, temporary dyes), but there is nothing wrong with it either. Women tend to do things in groups. Those groups that are closest to us are where we are going to notice changes more, even if it's a societal shift as a general rule.

[marbel]

I suspect this is because older women who do it often openly say they are doing it to avoid looking old and younger folks who do it (male or female) openly say they do it because they are having fun.  ;)

 

At least that's how it goes in my circles - mainly at high school.

 

YMMV

 

FWIW, I do not care who does or doesn't.  I'm totally for people getting to be themselves however they choose to do so (assuming it doesn't affect someone else, of course, and hair coloring does not).

 

Interesting.  I know several women who dye their hair, and I can't say I know any of their reasons, and they don't know mine.  :-)

 

I think in general what I see is:

 

- older woman doesn't like the way her hair looks, so changes the color = negative ("who does she think she's kidding?" the answer is, probably no one)

 

- younger woman doesn't like the way her hair looks, so changes the color = positive or perhaps neutral.

 

Speaking in generalities here, and my own observations from past threads here and elsewhere.  I'm not picking on anyone's posts here. ;-)

[Bluegoat]

I have been struggling with feeling like I am the only one letting my hair go gray. It's a financial decision for me really--I can't afford to have it done in a salon, and I know once I start, I am pretty much looking at doing it for the rest of my life.  Sometimes though I feel really out of place when seemingly everyone else dyes their hair, does highlights, etc.  I only know of a couple people who even use box color.  Everyone else goes to a salon.  I sometimes think it is a socioeconomic thing because our area is upper middle class.  We're sort of outliers here. There is one other person I am aware of that made a decision to let the gray come in. 

 

About five years ago I started on a fitness track that included strength training as well as cardio--no kickboxing that you are describing. I have noticed more women doing the strength training and really it makes sense for us to do that--it helps with bone health, overall stature, and it just plain feels good to be strong.

 

Keeping dyed, but naturally grey hair maintained is harder from a box than just a regular change, I think.  It's easy for box dye to look really harsh, and then when it grows out it's also very obvious, whereas a salon job will last longer before needing touch-ups.

 

I might have coloured my hair longer if I could have afforded a salon job, but it's just too much cash for me to commit to.

[creekland]

Interesting.  I know several women who dye their hair, and I can't say I know any of their reasons, and they don't know mine.  :-)

 

I think in general what I see is:

 

- older woman doesn't like the way her hair looks, so changes the color = negative ("who does she think she's kidding?" the answer is, probably no one)

 

- younger woman doesn't like the way her hair looks, so changes the color = positive or perhaps neutral.

 

Speaking in generalities here, and my own observations from past threads here and elsewhere.  I'm not picking on anyone's posts here. ;-)

 

It helps to work in a high school and eat lunch with several other teachers, many of them older - then talking with students too, all of whom are younger.  So many topics come up in everyday life.  It's easy to learn.

 

I certainly don't know everyone's reason (general public), but I know plenty share among those I do know.  I suspect this is true of most people.  It's common to then extrapolate what one has been told to the general public.

 

Judgment is something else.  It's like fashion choices.  Some care, some don't.  I'm sure there are just as many judging those who are going gray or who don't wear make up or the latest clothing style as those who judge against those things.  Then there are plenty of us who don't give a hoot.

[Guest]

I'm feeling like I should dye my hair so people don't think I'm going gray to follow the fad.

[OneStepAtATime]

I know several people that decided to stop dying their hair but it was because they were advised that it was dangerous medically to use dark dyes for years and years (my mom is one of them).