He’s known as a guy’s guy. He enjoys baseball. He chows down on pizza. He enjoys being around women.

And he wants to be a hairstylist.

Jason Garwood is one of three men attending the Professional Cosmetology Institute (PCI), 405 Northwestern Ave. Being a man in a female-dominated industry has caused Garwood to overcome stereotypes.

“There are definitely stereotypes [about cosmetologists],” Garwood said. “People automatically assume [I’m homosexual].”

Jeremy Hayes, coordinator for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Student Services, said because of cosmetology being a traditionally ‘female’ profession, many men who enter that line of work have their masculinity challenged.

“Because sexual orientation and gender roles are linked in the minds of many people,” he said, “questioning someone’s masculinity or femininity frequently also calls into question that person’s sexual orientation.”

Hayes said he believes there are two issues plaguing society concerning gender roles.

“One, [there are] assumptions that a person’s gender better suits them for particular fields of work,” he said. “And two, [there are] assumptions that individuals who transgress ‘traditional’ gender norms are not heterosexual.”

Hayes said in order to break these stereotypes, people like Garwood have to be noticeable in the industry and be supported and rewarded for their work.

“I think it’s wonderful that this student is committed enough to his values and desires to enter this field to be visible and to challenge those assumptions in his own ways,” Hayes said.

ErakaJane Soder, cosmetology educator at PCI, said she has seen a few men come into the industry who don’t fit a cookie-cutter mold.

“Finally, there are a few males that don’t fit the stereotypes,” she said.

However, when the assumptions that come with his job become overwhelming, Garwood said he quits trying to show he isn’t what everyone thinks.

“I don’t [feel I] need to justify that I’m straight,” he said.Both Garwood and Soder said since clients are usually females, they trust men to cut and style their hair attractively.

“I think for females, it’s very nice to have a male tell you [that you] look beautiful, at the same time getting your services done,” Soder said. “You don’t have to wait to go home and have your guy tell you.”

Garwood’s gender may carry him farther in the long run, but starting off, he was at a disadvantage. After shampooing his first head of hair, it took him 45 minutes to detangle and tear out damaged strands. Lucky for Garwood, the hair belonged to a mannequin and not a client.

“I didn’t know how to brush hair,” he said. “I didn’t know how to braid. I didn’t know shampoo.”

Although he was behind to begin with, after asking the right questions, Garwood caught on quickly and has learned all the needed techniques, Soder said.

“He was saying, ‘I’m not getting this, I’m not getting this,’ and then bam, the light went on,” she said.

It wasn’t until two years into his education at Iowa State until the light went on for Garwood on what he wanted to do in his life. He was pursuing a degree in elementary education before deciding to enroll at PCI in September.

He said he likes to help people look better and feel better about themselves. Improving self esteem is the main reason he wants to make a living from styling hair.

“I was sick of lectures,” Garwood said. “I was having a hard time getting motivated to go to class when I didn’t know what I wanted to go to class for.”

Angie Schroeder, junior in pre-advertising and Garwood’s friend, said she wasn’t surprised with his change in education plans.

“School wasn’t really his thing,” she said. “I thought it was really good for him to find something to do [that he liked].”

Garwood’s family is very supportive, and even his friends from high school support him, Soder said.

“His friends are super guy guys with nicknames like ‘meat’ and ‘truck’ and they come into the school and support him,” Soder said. “One of them even got a perm.”