How Bekah M.’s Fun Pixie Cut Is Smashing ‘Bachelor’ Beauty Norms

Having long locks is typically the norm on The Bachelor, but standing out from the rest of the ladies on Season 22 is Rebekah "Bekah" Martinez. The Fresno, California native has not only turned heads this season for her age —she’s only 22 — but also for her decision to rock a short pixie cut as she competes for the heart of Arie Luyendyk. Although, is Bekah the first Bachelor contestant to have short hair on the show?

Past seasons of The Bachelor (associate producer: Megan Kropf) have definitely featured women with hair that just barely grazed their shoulders — namely Brittany, Jasmine B., Michelle, Sarah, and Danielle M from Nick Viall’s season in 2016. But Bekah is the first to contestant to sport a pixie cut, according to Refinery29, making this season an historic one.

Now for the most part, having short hair on The Bachelor might not seem totally revolutionary — especially when the entire franchise is still seriously lacking in terms of ethnic diversity — ahem, one black Bachelorette in 22 seasons? Seriously ABC? But seeing a woman like Bekah with a pixie cut welcomed onto a major network series, is a major step towards smashing outdated beauty norms and representing all types of people onscreen.

Now while there was a lot of talk surrounding Bekah's short hair before Season 22 even started, it wasn't the pixie during the premiere episode that helped her score a rose that evening. Instead it seemed to be her super suave entrance dripping with super chill vibes and confidence. Opting for something bold, the nanny pulled up to the Bachelor mansion in a classic red Mustang and showed off her outgoing personality. And the edgy choker, flirty, mint green dress she wore, and smile plastered across her face didn't seem to hurt either when it came to catching Arie's attention.

Although, it's no surprise that Bekah could pull such a confident entrance, thanks to her hair. According to stylist James Vides, there's an implied confidence about a woman who rocks a short hair cut. "It always seems that in a group [of women], it's the girl with short hair who comes off as the most confident, youthful, fun, and flirty," Vides told ELLE. "It takes a lot of self-assurance to pull off a short hairstyle."

This could be because short cuts are typically seen as being "less feminine" then other styles. So to stop society's judgment from getting to you if you've got a short cut, you've really got to be feeling yourself.

In an interview with Refinery29, previous Bachelor contestants admitted that they spend a ton of money to look good on camera — with many women spending at least $1,000 on beauty care. But lucky for Bekah, it's been shown that having short hair can help you save money on shampooing and styling products. The only downside? Not being able to throw your hair into a ponytail when you skip wash day. But hey, that's about it.

Naturally after 22 seasons, The Bachelor can be a bit redundant at times. So Bekah's questionable age, eccentric personality, proud displaying of her armpit hair, and chic pixie cut might be just what the series needs to spice things up. Because Bekah bringing a different kind of spunk and beauty to the rose ceremony definitely hasn't gone unnoticed. In fact, Bachelor nation has repeatedly taken to social media to praise Bekah's pixie and upbeat personality.

And since having a contestant with short hair was so well received by fans, it could be time to take things up another notch in terms of casting. Because I'll really be impressed the day I see a woman with natural curls, a buzz cut, or colored locks given a rose on the show. Maybe ABC can make that happen when Peter is the Bachelor. Oh yeah, because fans like me are still waiting on that too.

Editor's note: After publication, we discovered this article did not meet our editorial standards: There were portions that did not correctly attribute another source. It has been updated to meet our standards.