The idea that people who cut your hair won't cut it as short as you want it.

I go to a barber now because I know they will cut my hair as short as I want including shaving it entirely the hell off whenever I decide to do that. And women-centric hairdressing shops would try to, like, negotiate me away from my stance. (A 2005 newspaper column I wrote on this topic.)

You are not the only one experiencing friction when the reclaiming of intentional, choiceful femininity bumps up against common compulsory femininity-type stimuli and scars (see the comment thread). It's tough.