Galina told Bored Panda that she sees haircuts as a powerful means of self-expression and confidence, emphasizing that it’s the woman who brings a short hairstyle to life. "But sometimes it happens that a minor element in the haircut gives it a new look. Everything is individual and needs to be observed," she added.
Galina believes that the idea of long hair as a standard of beauty is merely a stereotype. "Many women cannot properly care for their long hair. They don't have time to even wash their hair sometimes, and dirty hair tied back is not feminine, and definitely not something that could be considered 'well-groomed'. Femininity is not in the hair, it's in self-love, in care, and in attitude towards oneself."
Galina shared that at the beginning of her career, specializing in short women's haircuts, she encountered intense backlash and resistance. "Daily, I received more than 300 messages with threats and insults. People didn't just criticize my work – they threatened me with physical violence, wrote about throwing acid at me, about breaking my hands. Entire websites appeared on the internet dedicated to bullying me and my work.
It was especially painful to realize that the main stream of negativity came from fellow hairdressers. This led to a complete break with the professional community. I realized that people in the hairdressing industry could no longer be my colleagues. When you receive such an amount of hatred daily from people in your profession, trust is irreversibly destroyed.”
While the experience left a lasting impact on her, Galina acknowledged that it ultimately made her more resilient. "I continue my mission of changing stereotypes about female beauty, and now, when I see negative reactions, I understand that this is often the first step toward acceptance and changing perspectives. Slowly but surely, society is beginning to accept a broader and more liberated understanding of femininity.
The journey of breaking stereotypes is never easy, but it's necessary for social progress. Every negative comment, every threat I received, paradoxically strengthened my resolve to continue my work. Because I understood that the strongest resistance often comes when you're truly changing something important in society.
What started as a personal battle has evolved into a movement for freedom of self-expression and redefinition of beauty standards. The transformation I've witnessed – from hatred to acceptance, from criticism to imitation – proves that persistent dedication to authentic vision can eventually overcome even the most deeply rooted prejudices.”
