A haircut trend known as “The Edgar” is creating significant controversy across Texas, with some restaurants and schools considering bans for those who sport the divisive style.
The Edgar Haircut: A Cultural Phenomenon or a Symbol of Controversy?
The Edgar haircut, a bowl-shaped style favored by many Mexican-American teenagers, has been compared to the looks of Moe from the Three Stooges and Spock from Star Trek.
El Camino joking banned folks sporting “Edgar” haircuts.
While it has become a cultural symbol for some, it’s sparking division within Hispanic communities as the haircut increasingly becomes associated with crime.
Critics of the style, however, argue that the backlash is rooted in racism.
Social Media Backlash: A Restaurant’s Controversial Post
In a now-deleted Instagram post, a San Antonio restaurant ignited a firestorm by calling for a ban on patrons with Edgar haircuts.
The post came in the wake of a tragic shooting at a local festival, where 18-year-old Mikey Valdez, identified as one of the shooters, was killed by police. Valdez, who wore the Edgar haircut, had recently been released from jail on unrelated charges.
The restaurant’s owner, Ricky Ortiz, suggested that the festival organizers should implement a “no Edgar policy” and even joked about making the event unaffordable for certain attendees.
His comments, however, drew significant criticism from the predominantly Hispanic community, with some accusing him of promoting a new form of racism.
Dividing Opinions: Is It Just a Joke or a Reflection of Bias?
Ortiz, a first-generation Mexican-American, defended his controversial remarks by pointing out that many young men with the Edgar haircut are influenced by gang culture.
“People accusing me of racism are speaking from a place of ignorance,” he stated, emphasizing that the haircut has become a symbol of a subculture that he believes is linked to criminal behavior.
Despite his defense, the anti-Edgar sentiment has gained traction beyond San Antonio, with similar movements emerging in other Texas cities.
Schools and Communities Weigh In: A Push for Bans
In El Paso, students at Riverside High School launched a campaign in 2021 to ban the Edgar haircut from their campus, citing its association with crime.
Although the initiative did not result in an official ban, it sparked widespread debate about the hairstyle and its implications.
The administrator of a popular local Instagram account, @therealfitfamElPaso, noted that the haircut has become synonymous with trouble in the area.
“We just kind of correlate these guys to be bad dudes, even though there’s plenty of good dudes with the same cut,” the anonymous administrator said.
The Origins of the Edgar Haircut: From Major League Baseball to Native American Roots
The Edgar haircut first gained popularity in 2019 and saw a surge during the pandemic. It is believed to be named after former Seattle Mariners player Edgar Martínez, with a viral video showing a young client asking his barber to etch the player’s likeness onto the back of his head.
However, some argue that the style has deeper roots, tracing back to the Native American Jumano tribe that lived in Texas from the 1500s to the 1700s.
Sonya M. Alemán, an associate professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, suggested that the Edgar haircut could be seen as a rejection of Western beauty standards.
Is the Edgar Haircut Here to Stay?
Despite the controversy, the Edgar haircut remains popular among young Mexican-American men. Carlos Flores, a 19-year-old barber from Kyle, Texas, reports that he receives around seven requests for the style each day.
“There’s not a day that doesn’t go by that I don’t do an ‘Edgar haircut,’” he told NBC News.
Whether the Edgar haircut will fade out or continue to be a point of cultural and social debate remains to be seen.
What is clear is that this simple haircut has sparked conversations about identity, discrimination, and the complex ways that fashion and culture intersect in today’s society.