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ctv head asked who 'approved' lisa laflamme's grey hair

lisa laflamme's abrupt ousting from ctv news has raised questions about how we treat women who age naturally.

by karen hawthorne
published aug 19, 2022
last updated aug 20, 2022
read time 3 minute read
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read time 3 minute read
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why are we so afraid of a woman with grey hair?
the silver-haired lisa laflamme, 58, had garnered praise and support from women across canada in 2020, when she stopped dyeing her hair. ctv news/youtube
many canadians are upset about veteran broadcaster lisa laflamme being asked to leave her job as anchor of ctv national news after 35 years with the network. in the aftermath of her departure, which raises questions about ageism and sexism, a question is lingering on many people’s minds: how much of what happened has to do with her grey hair? a senior network official told the globe and mail that in a meeting, ctv news head michael melling asked who had approved the decision to “let lisa’s hair go grey.” the subject came up again on set when he commented that her hair had a purple hue in the studio lighting.
the silver-haired laflamme, 58, had garnered praise and support from women across canada in 2020, when she stopped dyeing her hair because she couldn’t get to her colourist during the pandemic. as she explained in the network’s year-in-review broadcast, “i finally said, ‘why bother? i’m going grey.’ honestly, if i had known the lockdown could be so liberating on that front i would have done it a lot sooner.”
laflamme’s video response on twitter to her unexpected ousting has received more than four million views.

grey hair is a universal sign of aging

while some people maintain their hair colour well into their senior years, many don’t – and greying hair is regarded as a universal sign of advanced age. the trouble is, societal pressures to be youthful and vibrant have many people locked into the cycle of dyeing their hair and covering up any visible grey roots as soon as they start to show.

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a study out of the school of human kinetics at the university of british columbia, published in ageing & society, explored older women’s perceptions of grey, white, and coloured hair. the study showed that the women, aged 71 to 94, found grey hair less attractive than snowy white hair. and while many appreciated white hair, they had extremely negative perceptions of their own grey hair.

‘young’ people’s hair can turn grey too

melanin is the natural pigment that determines hair colour. when the production of this pigment slows down as you age, hair turns silvery-grey. the hair itself is not actually white, but it can look white or silver when light is refracted off the hair, according to researchers at colorado state university who advocate for healthy perceptions around ageing.
the question of when your hair starts to grey usually comes down to genetics, so you’ll start having grey hairs around the same age as your parents or grandparents first did.
some people start going grey in their teens or 20s, and factors like stress and smoking can also contribute to hair going grey. much like nicotine can accelerate skin aging, it can damage cells involved in the hair growth cycles, notes a study in skin appendage disorders.
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some women are embracing their grey

with salons closed during pandemic lockdowns, there’s been a shift for women to liberate themselves from their hair-colouring habits and go natural — a “silver revolution.” grey hair can be “powerful” for women, as the guardian reports. it’s considered a statement of independence and confidence – and fashionable.
laflamme’s story is a familiar one for many people who were used to dyeing their hair until the pandemic.
“post-lockdown, there is a feeling of liberty – many got into a grey hair rut because they couldn’t see their colourists, but came out of the other side and actually enjoyed the change,” hairstylist luke hersheson told vogue. “at one point it was a big no-no to have grey hair, but now we don’t equate grey hair with being ‘old’ – so many people are doing it.”
now “sex and the city” star sarah jessica parker is asking fans to stop calling her grey hair brave. “it became months and months of conversation about how brave i am for having grey hair,” the actress told allure. “i was like, please please applaud someone else’s courage on something!”
the truth is, though, aging naturally clearly does take courage — and if the reported statements melling made about laflamme are accurate, many people aren’t comfortable seeing a woman who looks her age.
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karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.
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karen hawthorne
karen hawthorne

karen hawthorne worked for six years as a digital editor for the national post, contributing articles on health, business, culture and travel for affiliated newspapers across canada. she now writes from her home office in toronto and takes breaks to bounce with her son on the backyard trampoline and walk bingo, her bull terrier.

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