Should a US President Color His Gray Hair?

Do you know any gals who color their gray hair? How about guys? Women have dyed their hair for years, and no one gets in a snit about it. But, men? In the past, the stigma attached to men coloring their gray hair proved to be a stumbling block, but in today's society the guys are jumping on the bandwagon-or in the stylist's chair, as the case may be-and doing the same. That includes not only gray hair on the head, but facial hair such as mustaches and beards, as well. (Think of Tom Selleck in the TV show, "Blue Bloods.")

So, if it's acceptable for practically anyone to color their gray hair, should a US president do it? Below are a set of pros and cons for consideration.

Pros for a US President Coloring His Gray Hair
Politics are a cut-throat sport if there ever was one, and in order to remain powerful and in control, the president needs to remove vestiges of worry and excessive age ... and that would be gray hair. A few years ago, an article on the Wall Street Journal Digital Network reported that Chinese, Japanese and Indian leaders colored their gray hair, with the Chinese being the most prominent. If it's good enough for their leaders, it's good enough for ours.

In a time when youth is revered on TV and in movies, as well as by the voting public, the president needs to be viewed as in step with the times. By coloring his gray hair, he appeals to a broad spectrum of the voting public, while keeping his gray hair only emphasizes a generational gap.

Then, too, there's the issue of a female president coloring her hair. Would anyone gripe or moan if a female president dyed her locks? Probably not. In fact, just the reverse would occur and the media both in the US and abroad would be nit-picking over the woman's gray hair. That being the case, why should a male president be held to a double standard, and expected to reveal his age or degree of emotional stress by sporting a head of gray rather than coloring it?

Cons for a US President Dyeing His Gray Hair
Gray hair on a man provides distinction, as well as being a symbol of wisdom. In some countries and areas of the world, age is revered. A president who colors his gray hair loses that advantage. Looking youthful may be great for an actor in Hollywood, but on the scene of international politics, it could certainly be a disadvantage. That is, with the possible exception of dealing with the Chinese, of course.

A US president has to be careful of his image with the voting public. A man who's old enough to be president typically has at least some gray hair, and to appear otherwise would seem deceptive. And if there's one thing the voting public hates, it's feeling like they're being deceived. A number of presidents dyed their gray hair while campaigning, in order to give a youthful appearance, and then let it go natural once they were in the White House ... which was followed by fooling themselves into thinking the public didn't notice.

Hair, whether the color of it or the lack of it, is incidental to the power and sway that the president holds. A man in such an influential position has more to worry about-such as, if one country is going to nuke another and take the US with it-than to worry about whether or not his roots are showing and if he needs a stylist rushed to the Oval Office to color that gray hair.

So, after all that information, where do you stand on the issue?

As for me, it doesn't matter if a president colors his gray hair or not ... just so long as he doesn't color it during the campaign and then let the gray hair grow out while in office. Now that's deceptive.

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Sources:
Jason Leow, "Chinese Bigwigs Are Quick to Reach For the Hair Color," Wall Street Journal Digital Network.