Do you remove any of it? Yes, I do. I shave my pubic area, not all off but just to make it neater. I had this idea in my head that if I shaved anywhere or trimmed anywhere I’ d be a hypocrite or I’ d“ cheating”, but the real idea is that I can do whatever I like and I don’ t need to subscribe to one extreme or the other. I cut and style my hair, and I cut and style my pubes too.
What are the reactions like? From family, friends, strangers and partners? My family( Dad, mum, sister) continually mock me in a fun-loving way, which I don’ t mind. But I also get very harsh comments from my sister saying I’ m disgusting and ugly and that I don’ t take care of myself etc. No men I have been with have ever minded, however I have been in conversation and know that some prefer to go down on me if I was shaved / trimmed, which I understand. Other than that no one has commented or given me a strange look at all which I’ m surprised about.
How would you define the beauty ideal in our society? I feel every person has a different idea of what beauty is. To Australian society as a whole it is“ beautiful”( as a woman) to be fit but thin, tanned but“ white”, long hair, shaved, makeup but made to look natural, sexy but not“ slutty”, mature and woman like but still cute and childlike, effort made to look effortless. Beauty today is a mass of contradictions that many people find themselves swinging between trying to keep up with what is“ expected”.
In your opinion, why do you think that a substantial number of women are deciding to stop removing their body hair? For many women, it’ s a protest. It’ s a“ fuck you to whoever told me I needed to do this”. This is what it was for me in the beginning, but now it has merged into a simple choice that doesn’ t really mean anything. In the same way, I put on a necklace or if I choose not to paint my nails. It’ s just a choice about how I care for my body and looks that also happens to be an amazing movement that I love being a part of and that is meaningful.
Why do you think that body hair is associated with lack of hygiene and self-care? The image that comes to mind when most people think of a woman who doesn’ t shave is one of a“ dirty hippy”,( something my dad said). I feel this has to do with the way women have been portrayed for hundreds of years: perfect, childlike, always beautiful and poised. If we don’ t match those standards from two centuries ago then we are automatically seen as lacking self-care and hygiene. Body hair on women is seen as primitive and animalistic, which is such a contradiction because a man’ s hygiene is never question if he doesn’ t shave his underarms, legs or pubic area.
Do you feel there is a relation between body hair removal and women’ s empowerment? Yes absolutely. I feel empowered because I now feel confident enough to make a choice that goes against the mainstream, hypocritical and unnecessary belief of the society I was raised in. That’ s powerful.
How do you feel that keeping our hair can contribute to a change in society? It can make people realize that they have the choice to live however they want and question whether their own ideals actually stem from inherent values or values placed upon them by a culture. It makes people question the way they live and what they believe in, and takes them out of the box the culture has built and allows people to see the level of freedom they have. To not just be dictated by an outdated idea that may not serve them, whether that be the expectation of shaved legs of something with a much higher level of severity. /
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