Hair from the Back

About a week ago I saw on the Long Hair Community website two photographs, linked on this post, that made me curious about how my hair looks from the back.

The photographs have the same woman with her hair down or in a ponytail. To me, she appears much more feminine in the second photograph because gathering her hair into a ponytail reveals the cut of her shirt sleeves and the size and shape of her shoulders.

Every now and then, because of my long hair, a stranger who only sees me from the back calls me "ma'am". I wondered if the ponytail I normally wear also makes my gender more distinct.

Here are two photographs for comparison:





It might just be my perception, but I think the same thing happens with my ponytail: the shape of my shoulders and shirt is emphasized and thus my appearance from the back is more recognizably masculine.

And, no, I'm not going to put my hair up in a bun for a third comparison photograph.