Men Are Deceiving Their Dates By ‘Hatfishing’ And Women Are Finally Talking About It
When it comes to online dating, we've all heard of catfishing. Women get accused of it for even minor things, and it's become a running joke. But have you heard about hatfishing? It seems to be a newly talked about phenomenon in the dating world, and for good reason. To be honest, balding is a really common thing, but some men still choose to hide their thinning hair (or their bald heads) with a hat.
Remember: Nobody cares nearly as much about your hair as you do.
A Recap On Hair Loss
Factors that can induce unwanted hair loss include genetics, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, illnesses, certain medical treatments, extreme stress, trauma... The list goes on and on, because it's a common thing!
Hair loss and hair thinning can have a negative effect on physical, mental, and emotional well-being. But one thing is for sure, hats are NOT the solution!
Hatfishing: An Explanation
"Hatfishing" is a dating phenomenon where people hide their hair loss by wearing hats. For example, if a guy is wearing a hat in every Tinder pic, he's a total hatfish.
Let's face it, there’s no proper reason for someone to be wearing a beanie in August.
How The Term Was Born
On December 11, 2016, Instagram user @adamw uploaded a comedy sketch about a man who refuses to take off his hat. The post included the hashtag #hatfished. Within 14 months, the video gained close to a million views.
In 2017, the term started to float around on Twitter, and was then added to Urban Dictionary.
"Take Her Swimming On The First Date"
For years, women have had to deal with men belittling them for wearing "too much makeup." Thus, "take her swimming on the first date" was born.
The idea is that a person is basically catfishing when they wear a lot of makeup. But many women (and men) wear makeup for themselves, not to please other people.
What About Men?
Men typically don't wear any makeup, but they have other sneaky ways of hiding their "true selves."
It's time to target men who ALWAYS wear beanies, toques, or baseball hats to cover up their hair (or lack thereof).
We're Not Shaming People With Hair Loss
It's time to get one thing straight. Hair loss, and receding hairlines, are completely normal. It's not something people can control, but it's best to embrace it rather than hiding it!
Women are coming together to stop hatfishing, because it's simply unreasonable for men to wear a hat that's practically permanent.
More Info On Hair Loss
Research has revealed that of those who suffer from thinning hair or baldness, 21% have tried to conceal their lack of hair on dating apps or social media.
A survey of 1,000 British adults found that one in 10 of those surveyed claim they have been hatfished.
Bro, Take Off The Beanie
Personally, I've never seen a bald man and been like, "Yo, he should cover that up!"
I feel like it's best to just embrace your head for all its glory as opposed to trying to persevere through all of the sweat when wearing a hat in the middle of summer.
There's A Time And Place For A Hat
A baseball hat is appropriate on a cute picnic date.
But if you notice that your boo is wearing a hat every chance he gets, like even INDOORS, you're being hatfished.
We Are So Critical Of Ourselves
Honey, nobody cares nearly as much about your hair as you do. A true partner will love you for you.
Wear a baseball cap because you like it or because you hate your current haircut. But if you’re wearing it to hatfish, well, good luck with keeping a hat on for the rest of your life.
So, Take The Hat Off Once In A While
At the end of the day, everything we put on our bodies communicates some statement of self.
Stilettos on a date say something WAY different than sneakers. Do you REALLY want to be known as the hat guy?
