What is a ‘blue haired’ liberal?
The ‘blue haired liberal’ is a common stereotype used by the political right-wing to purposefully belittle and delegitimise valid left-wing arguments and ideas. Being labelled a ‘blue haired liberal’ is a right wing attempt to regard your opinions as irrelevant and not worth listening to. Popularised by Republican Trump supporters on 4Chan, an anonymous opinion sharing forum, this taunt is used to disregard, mimic, and label left-wing women and the LGBTQ+ community, as ‘blue haired liberals’. But why do the right-wing insist on this animosity? Why does this stereotype only apply to ‘people with pronouns in their bios’?
The history of the American right
Right wing politics has always served to benefit the bourgeoisie; white, upper class men, who maintain control through owning the means of production, and ultimately concentrating power and money in their own elite circles. Historically, the political right, (particularly in America) have done everything they can to suppress basic human rights for women, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. This is most evident in American politics; from banning the right to have an abortion, to creating a rash of laws regulating the teaching of human sexuality in school curricula, Republican rule has done nothing in recent years but strip away basic rights for the oppressed. So why would they even listen to their arguments, when they benefit from the subjugation of others to maintain control?
Scaredy cats?
The truth is, the right are afraid. They use petty insults to disregard valid arguments instead of listening or even attempting to debate, simply because they have no real counter arguments. Allowing everyone to have the same basic rights has no negatives for the general population; if anything, it strengthens the rights and freedoms afforded to us all. Of course, public solidarity serves no purpose to the elitist right-wing; they benefit from concentrating power in their own hands, and so spread their toxic narratives through all forms of media. With no real debates to be held, the fearful right mimic and mock left-wing individuals, portraying them as extremist and mindless in an attempt to devalue their legitimate arguments and criticisms of today’s society.
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It’s ultimately sexist
This ‘blue haired liberal’ stereotype is ultimately sexist – being often only applied to women. The political right are no strangers to sexism, but this stereotype is rooted within it. Often, the right wing enforces legislation such as anti-abortion bills, to control and suppress women. Why is it that men can have a permanent vasectomy and receive no criticism, but if a woman doesn’t want children, she should not be able to run for presidency? It is all about control. Simply dying your hair is a rejection of conservative social norms, and their attempts to control and dull down womens personalities in order to fit their ‘traditional house-wife’ ideals. The ‘blue haired liberal’ is nothing but right wing propaganda to demonise those who do not want to conform to their sexist, two dimensional stereotypes.
Let them fear your political correctness
So ultimately, with no real counter arguments or evidential claims, (no, Fox and GB News are not the most factual of sources), the right would sooner label left wing individuals as irrational rather than debate them. This pejorative trope, often used in online discussions, reduces a diverse group of people to a simplistic, often negative caricature.
Dismissing the validity of their beliefs and activism by focusing on superficial traits like appearance contributes to the polarisation of political discourse by fostering an ‘us vs. them’ mentality. The right vs the left, or the oppressors vs the oppressed. Is there any real reason for a straight, white man to be afraid of pronouns? Of course not. But the rise in young people striving for a fairer society is what they fear. They fear ‘political correctness’. They fear equality. And they fear the fact that women and LGBTQ+ community members are, more often than not, correct. Because the rise against oppression faced by minority groups, is a rise against the straight, white, ruling class.