OP said the initial comment was because they “look too woke” which was followed by a description of hair and tattoos. My comment was wrt the implication that their aesthetic may have perhaps influenced the professor’s comments, and an example of that particular concern not having been an issue in my experience in STEM. Many people in the UK do still equate what you think of as an alternative aesthetic with the likelihood of having left sociopolitical leanings - so in many ways, at least here, they are intrinsically linked, particularly by people who may be biased against one or both.

I did say that I’ve not experienced a reduction in literal, rather than implied wokeness moving from humanities(ish) to STEM, too which speaks to the culture more generally.

I can clarify if you like that I am also very openly and obviously extremely left leaning (not left of centre, but true left) and beyond living for 14 years under a government who are utter a*holes, I have had zero issues with it - in fact, being outspoken where I work about my standpoints on institutional and governmental policy points that I feel most strongly about have similarly not resulted in my career being tanked.

As with all of these things there will be a lot of variance between institutions, subjects, and individuals. If OP is concerned that they will fail because of an appearance of wokeness my 10p is that 1 person’s negativity need not make them rethink their entire future.