Why does middle aged long hair bother people so much?

I am getting all ready to turn 50, as you may have guessed already.
I'd like to stand up and say to everyone in the group, I have long hair, and I like it.

Like Dominique in her NYT article previous - I have had a fair amount of crap from people about my hair and my age.

My mother, gone now for six years, so at the time I was only early 40s, used the direct approach to remind me frequently that she disapproved of the length of my hair at my age. She also used the time honored passive aggressive mom approach when it presented itself. We were once watching Ann Coulter on Tv, and I said something like, God, she looks freaking good. My mom's reply was to sigh regretfully, "yes, she would look nice if her hair wasn't so inappropriate."

My sister started commenting on my hair in my early 40s as well. She does tend to lean to the direct side of the fence. "Are you EVER going to cut your hair?" Or, after I actually styled it to go out with her inlaws: "Here's a scarf, let's get that mess out of the way." Or, the sisterly, "don't you think you'd look better if you cut your hair?"

My sister-in-law joined the fray as well - and caused me to think about hard - because she rarely criticizes or offers unsolicited opinions. "You looked so good when you had that bob." "Your hair doesn't really say, professional." She was sweet enough to pay for an appointment at our favorite salon, but was irritated with the stylist because he didn't cut it shorter. I looked like freaking Farrah Fawcett when I came out of there -and I loved it!

If you are middle aged, with long tresses, then you've heard all this and more I'm sure. And we've all probably responded to criticisms with various 'reasons' that we keep our hair the way it is. I know I have 2 or 3 stock responses.

The question is - why do people have this idea that middle age dictates cutting off the long locks for shorter ones, and why the hell does it bother them so much?

I have some thoughts and ideas on this whole question, and they are to come - but I so very much want to hear your thoughts, experiences and ideas. Please! let me know what you think.

cheers! (hair toss)