This Washington
Hairdresser on Fire
State Sen. Ed Murray (D-43) has been getting lots of phone calls from constituents and friends lately (including from his nephew) asking him if he was once a hair dresser.
It's not to the point of the birther movement, but there is a persistance to the loaded rumor that Sen. Murray, who's gay, was once a hair dresser—back in the new wave '80s, of course.
For instance, the lead off comment on a post this week at the PI.com's Strange Bedfellow's politics blog about Murray getting picked as the new senate ways & menas chair said this:
Referring to its policy—which says "fraudulent" "abusive" and "harrassing" comments among others aren't allowed—rhe PI removed the post this morning. Murray contacted them to complain about the comment.
For the record, Murray was never a hair dresser and jokes that he's oblivious to fashion and appearance. "I've never gotten dermabrasion for my acne scars," he laughs, joking that his partner calls him "Ed O'blivious" to kid him about his attention to fashion.
On a more serious note, though, Murray says: "I did not ask for the comment to be removed [the Senate Democrats did point Murray to the PI's comment policy ] ... It could be meant as funny, but given that my sexual orientation comes up every time no matter how unrelated to the issue, I think it probably is not. For what it is worth, I have never been a hairdresser. I wonder if a comment stereotyping any other group would stand without a comment. Stereotypes die hard."
It's not to the point of the birther movement, but there is a persistance to the loaded rumor that Sen. Murray, who's gay, was once a hair dresser—back in the new wave '80s, of course.
For instance, the lead off comment on a post this week at the PI.com's Strange Bedfellow's politics blog about Murray getting picked as the new senate ways & menas chair said this:
This is why I could never support Democrats in this state.This guy is totally unqualified as was his last job in transportation. When Martha Coe hired him he was working as a hairdresser on Capitol Hill.
Referring to its policy—which says "fraudulent" "abusive" and "harrassing" comments among others aren't allowed—rhe PI removed the post this morning. Murray contacted them to complain about the comment.
For the record, Murray was never a hair dresser and jokes that he's oblivious to fashion and appearance. "I've never gotten dermabrasion for my acne scars," he laughs, joking that his partner calls him "Ed O'blivious" to kid him about his attention to fashion.
On a more serious note, though, Murray says: "I did not ask for the comment to be removed [the Senate Democrats did point Murray to the PI's comment policy ] ... It could be meant as funny, but given that my sexual orientation comes up every time no matter how unrelated to the issue, I think it probably is not. For what it is worth, I have never been a hairdresser. I wonder if a comment stereotyping any other group would stand without a comment. Stereotypes die hard."
