I DON’T CARE . WHATEVER . WHAT’S UP?
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HIS TIME AHEAD OF HIS TIME AHEAD OF HIS TIME AHEA
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AHEAD OF HIS TIME A HEAD OF HIS
TIME AHEAD OF HIS TIME AHEAD OF HIS TIME AHEAD OF
HIS TIME AHEAD OF HIS TIME AHEAD OF
DENNIS RODMAN
Dennis Rodman, known as one of the most compelling and controversial figures in sports. Gaining his notoriety not only by his outstanding ball game but he also owes that to his flamboyant and transgressive style. I used to have a completely different view on Dennis Rodman. Judging him, while not knowing who he was. I however, have always been fascinated by his appearance which sparked my curiousity to make a deep dive into The Worm’s complicated legacy. Making me find out that the image in my head created by the media is something that I do not agree entirely with anymore. Coming from nothing, Rodman managed to create this certain drive and dedication for a matter he was so passionate about, inspiring me to do the same. Overtime he formed into a persona that was able to accept itself. Bringing up mildly controversial topics such as sex positivity for the LGBTQ+ community, forcing his audience to reckon with their own ideas about sexuality and gender fluidity. The ahead-of -his time style visionary Rodman has played a big influential role into letting people become their authentic selves. Inspiring them with his ever-changing colourful hairstyles, bold outfit choices and maveric attitude.
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FIGHTING
Growing up Dennis Rodman had no direction. With his father being out of the picture and his mother being focused on his sisters rather than having an eye for Dennis. He had a difficult upbringing. It was until he got kicked out and found a passion for basketball. At that time you could describe Rodman as a shy-guarded individual and hard to get comfortable around. After making his debut in the NBA and turning into a star rebounder, Dennis admitted to losing his motivation for the game and became likely depressed. 6
DEMONS
On February 11, 1993, Rodman was found asleep in his car outside the Pistons arena, with a loaded rifle. Contemplating suicide before falling asleep. You can characterize this as the moment where Dennis Rodman metaphorically killed his old self to become the person who he wanted to be by embracing his differences and not letting anybody decide for him who he should be. He began to show more personality starting off with a new appearance that shook the entire sports world. A Wesley Snipes ‘Demolition man’ inspired coiffure. 7
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DON’T . LET . OTHER . PEOPLE . DECIDE . WHO . YOU . ARE . 9
THE EVER-CHANGING HAIRSTYLES Over the years Dennis Rodman managed to make his hair one of his trademarks, next to wearing sunglasses most of the time, his tattoos and all the piercings. He states that he was not trying to be an individual that purposely wanted to stand out but ‘‘It just happened.’’. With its random infusion of elements from rave-culture, emo, hip-hop, and fetishwear Rodman definetly made sure to stand out from the crowd. His prominent hairstyles turned out into some kind of strange, interactive avant-garde theatre pieces. Starting with his first change of appear-
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ance: the blonde mohawk inspired by Wesley Snipes ‘Demolition man’. From there on Rodman adapted and evolved his hairstyle through the years. A traditional blonde regrowth, fluorescentgreen, the bulls logo, a tribute to teammate Pippen. No design was too crazy for the boundary pushing all-star rebounder. Perhaps one of the most important haircuts was the red ribbon design. At a time when the LGBTQ+ community and those suffering from AIDS were being persecuted against in popular culture, Rodman stood up for them.
He then felt the need to call attention to AIDS. His hairstyles get you thinking. If there is one thing that Dennis Rodman has never been, it is ordinary. Even up to the present day you can see what kind of impact his iconic style has made on the crowd. Rodman’s experimentation in the 90s can be described as wildly ahead-of-his time. He was not seeking for validation but embracing his authentic self. In an era where counterculture was kind of downward, Dennis Rodman established himself as the man with the ever-changing hairstyles.
The many different hair designs of Dennis Rodman
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‘You laugh at me because I laugh at you
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I’m different, cause you’re all the same.’
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CREATE . YOUR. OWN. DENNIS. RODMAN. HAIRSTYLE.
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