> I do get ridiculed for it now and then

I have similar experiences with dyeing my hair in bright colours as a guy; most people react neutrally or positively, others ... not so much.

There seems to be something of a cultural difference here too; in Ireland, New Zealand, and Indonesia I don't get too much grief from it, in the Netherlands ... meh. One guy (random stranger) even went so far as to shout "hey homo!" :-/ One of the aspects of my country I'm not especially impressed with.

Overall, it's not a bad people filter. If you're the kind of person who would ridicule someone over hair colour or wearing a hat then you're probably not the kind of person I want to interact with if I have the choice. I'd rather know sooner than later.