This month’s feature article at For The Girls is about body hair and hair removal. In reading various articles on the topic I saw it described as “the battle that feminism lost” and I found myself musing about the current state of play when it comes to women and their furry bits.
Fact is, depilation has never been more fashionable. I saw statistics suggesting that 99% of women have removed hair from their bodies at some point or another. Brazilians are becoming very popular – and porn is being blamed for the increase in hairless pussies.
The question is – are women betraying feminism if they conform to society’s standards and shave their legs and armpits?
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I ended up touring a few feminist blogs (like Feministing) and it seems that the argument is still raging. Some take the full Greer line – removing body hair is submitting to the patriarchy. Others are more relaxed in their approach and don’t see a problem with it.
One of the things that stood out when reading women’s blog comments about shaving and waxing was how often they said “I do it for myself, not anyone else.” Some feminists said that this wasn’t really a good enough answer because it wasn’t truly self aware. Questions need to be asked before you can say that line. Why, exactly, does “doing it for yourself” make you feel good? Is it because you are fitting in? Does it feel better physically? Do you feel more attractive that way, and are you aware that your idea of “attractive” is shaped by societal norms?
See? Shaving off the fur is still a feminist issue.
In writing the article I ended up looking harder at my own views. I started to shave my legs at 10, but I’ve never waxed (I’m a wimp). Underarms were scrupulously hairless throughout school. At University I decided that having hairy legs was a great way to be an individual – it was fun to freak out my male friends.
Most of the time I’m a furry princess, but I still shave occasionally. Sometimes it’s for physical reasons (scaly legs, stinky pits if it gets too long) but often it’s because I don’t want to feel self conscious in public. Even if I’ve got a “fuck you, it’s none of your business” attitude when it comes to body hair, I still sometimes worry that people are looking and judging. It’s pretty damned hard to overcome that societal influence. I’m a little bit more aware of how I feel now.
Even if I do “give in to the patriarchy” occasionally, I’m still not at all inclined to try a Brazilian wax. Ow. And today I read that it can go horribly wrong for some people.
Pic is from Hippie Goddess – a very cool site featuring natural women outdoors.
I’ll tepidly put my foot forward in this “agrgument”. Wouldn’t it be “feminist” were the women who shave or not be thought of on a sort of individual basis rather than as “conformist” or not? I imagine some of the “pressure” to depilate (sp?) comes from a womans desire to feel clean down below the waist. A smooth pussy may feel cleaner and look cleaner and as such a desire to “conform” may play little of no role.
I know, that for myself, I would shave my balls and around my dick only if asked (and I wouldn’t be offended if asked), but I’d feel pretty weird at the gym.
So, I love every pussy I’m graced with knowing intimately and love ’em smooth or bushy.
Thanks for your comment Jake, although I have to take you to task on the idea that shaving off pubic hair makes things cleaner. If a woman has a shower every day, she’ll be clean, shaven haven or no. Pubes have a function and protecting the genitals is part of that. I think the feminist issue is one of knowledge combined with individual choice.
I will happily go along with your task taking. You’re most likely right regarding the pubes function, though I really have no idea, but sure, I imagine the stuff we’re graced with is there for a reason. Maybe the hair serve(s)(d) as a transmitter of pheremones too. The cleanliness thing is possibly more along the lines of “it feels clean”.