Rainbows, Love, and Hair for a Good Cause

Hair – and the endless ways you can cut, style, and color it – is one of the greatest forms of self-expression. And it’s your best accessory, pulling together your outfit and overall look. You can embrace your creativity and unique personality by showing your true colors through your hair!

When it comes to inclusivity, For Love and Hair’s Samantha Sellars is an advocate for changing the hair game! She’s making sure that all her clients can express themselves freely without judgment based on perceived gender norms. For Pride Month, Samantha is creating rainbow-colored extensions and donating all sale proceeds to the Dresscode Project. 

Name: Samantha Sellars (@forloveandhair)

Pronouns: she/her

What’s your favorite aspect of Pride? 

For me, it’s a celebration of being true to yourself and a reminder that you’re not alone. There’s still work to do, and it’s important for allies to not just celebrate Pride and then do nothing the rest of the year. 

Why did you choose the Dresscode Project as your organization?

I’ve been working with the trans, gender non-conforming, and non-binary communities for several years now. The Dresscode Project’s goal is not only to eliminate the archaic practice of gendered services but also to educate stylists on how they can be more inclusive in their practices and create a safe and inviting salon for every client. 

What does a “safer space” mean to you? 

To me, a safe space is a place where you feel welcomed, comfortable, and heard – where you don’t have to worry about judgment or exclusion.

Any tips for LGBTQIA+ stylists new to the game? 

Find a salon you feel comfortable in. If you don’t feel safe in your salon, other LGBTQIA+ people won’t either. Also, get rid of gendered pricing! Hair has no gender! I always offer my pronouns to invite my clients to share theirs, so we start off on the right foot every time. 

The Dresscode Project’s goal is to spread the message that hair has no gender. They have formed a global alliance of salons and barber shops committed to providing positive, gender-affirming services to their clients. They strive to educate and empower hair stylists and barbers to create a safe place to give people haircuts that make them look and feel the way they want. There are a few ways you can get involved: donating to the cause, visiting their shop, or following them on Instagram. 

How are you celebrating this month? We’d love to see you rocking your looks for Pride! Check out how Samantha did on her TikTok and YouTube! Show us how you express yourself – tag us with #WickedRootsFam for a chance to be featured on our social media.