The True Crowning Glory

A person’s hair has long been culturally-accepted as a form of self-expression. Throughout history, our hair grew into more than just a mere gender identifier. It became a way to represent political stances, faith and devotion, and even a person’s caste–implicating a freedom to choose with your head held high. Yet in Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, specifically those from the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASS), students wear their crowning glory bowed down.

Painting the town with “Asian colors” 

During the Freshman Orientation last September 12-14, the hair color policy that allows students from certain colleges, including CHASS, to wear any hair color since 2022 was retracted, now requiring all students across the university to wear only “Asian hair colors”. 

Although, the 2017 University Student Manual that the university follows, particularly under Article 6 of “Section 1. General Code of Conduct” does not prescribe any hair color to be followed. It only included several style restrictions in hair cut for male students and the adherence of female students to a “well-groomed” hairstyle. 

This new mandate raised concern from students, particularly from CHASS, enough for their student council to conduct a “sensing form” that collates all insights of the students from their college on various university policies–including permissible hair colors. 

Last Oct. 5, the sensing form resulted in 96.2% of CHASS students to vote for an official CHASS resolution and memorandum on reforming the hair color policy and allowing diverse hair color options. 

A hair that represents and inspires

Even though I had already outgrown my hair, I could still remember the feeling of traversing to a new persona as I challenged my college life upon entering PLM (and CHASS) in 2021. Back then, I bleached and dyed my hair with green, pink, blue, and orange and used to love how I felt content and confident with myself even amidst the stressful academic workloads a typical freshman/sophomore could muster. Personally, it felt liberating–as if you’re another person with a new chance to start a new life ahead. It was my form of escape, and eventually, my growth. 

We may all have different reasons for styling our hairs but one thing is certain: to represent ourselves. And who knows this better than the CHASS students?

As a college that shines the aspects of humanism, students from CHASS are well-deserving to be represented by their own choice of hairstyles. Self-expression and representation is of equal importance for them to continuously foster their creative facets which could inspire them to be better students of their college and the Pamantasan. 

Moreover, the concept of self-expression and representation as a helpful motivator to be a better student isn’t limited to the nature of a college that a student belongs in, rather it could apply every student across the whole university as long as the form of self-expression and representation do not overlap the principles that their respective fields hold of great value. This also applies to dress code mandates across all colleges. 

The true crowning glory 

The hair earned its moniker as one’s “crowning glory” for it is the part of the body that greatly determines an appearance of a person. It represents one’s most notable aspect. Hence, the true crowning glory is more than just a hair but it rests on the head of the one who bears it, a free-willed mind to think with courage to represent themselves in their truest identity. 

May the students of PLM, especially those free thinkers of CHASS, would have the freedom and courage to practice the university’s core values of “Knowledge (Karunungan), Progress (Kaunlaran), Greatness (Kadakilaan)” as they are–raising their heads up high with pride and confidence as a well-represented Haribon.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the opinion writer do not necessarily state or reflect those of the publication.