Society puts a lot of pressure on women to shave. Having hair in the armpits, legs and face is considered socially unattractive, yet at least 40% of women have facial hair, and nearly all have body hair. In many ancient cultures, hair removal was done as an act of humiliation, and the same thing was done in times of war and still inside prisons today; this same sense of humiliation is also spread by some beauty ideals advertised in the media, which consider hair removal necessary to mirror female beauty.
Having body hair is a sign of adulthood and sexual development. If you are a woman who prefers to keep hair growing naturally on every part of your body, how do you deal with the fact that common opinion considers hair removal necessary? Since having smooth skin is considered a beauty standard, does that mean that if you have hair you can't be beautiful? Obviously not. What it means is simply that you have chosen to keep something that grows naturally on your body, and that it is just as good a choice as deciding to shave. For a sexually mature woman, keeping her hair intact can be a challenging but rewarding choice as it is a personal decision. This article will help you deal with this choice.
Steps
Step 1. Think carefully about the reasons behind hair removal
Shaving certain parts of the body where hair grows naturally is seen in some cultures as an essential element of beauty. This social conditioning Not it is in itself a reason to shave. Obviously if you prefer to do it it is your right, but it is also your right to decide not to do it; the important thing is that it is your decision, and not something you feel compelled to do. Some things to consider are:
- If the idea of having body hair makes you think "that sucks!", Think again. Don't you like imagining yourself with hair on your body, or do you feel conditioned by the fact that society considers it unacceptable? This is a difficult question to answer, but don't ignore it, especially if you find yourself spending a lot of time trying to conform to beauty ideals that impact your wallet, energy, and self-esteem.
- Shaving is not the same as being clean. It is about conforming to an idea of the female body, dirt has nothing to do with it. If you wash regularly, you are clean, with or without hair.
- There is a large industry that deals with hair removal products. It is a highly publicized and socially accepted reason to force women to shave.
Step 2. Address your fear of turning away potential partners
There are many men who like hairy women: it is a prejudice to think that all men are against it. Sure, some men may have been conditioned to dislike hair, but many others find a hairy woman erotic, beautiful, or just plain normal. Revealing your hair to a man can be a perfect way to tell if he considers you a person or just an object. You may also find that other women sometimes criticize your choice to stay hairy.
- European women are generally less obsessed with hair removal than North American women. Yet their romantic relationships are not affected at all!
- Famous women like Frida Kahlo, Julia Roberts, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brooke Shields have shown their hair at certain times in their lives.
- Be aware that some men may be embarrassed to admit that they prefer hairy women. If you hide, and your man hides his preference, you may never get out. Be honest and wait to see what happens.
Step 3. Focus on what you could gain from letting your hair grow
There are many benefits to letting hair grow naturally, and this could help you make your decision. For example, you will no longer have to spend time and money to shave. Not to mention the pain of waxing or razor cuts, all of which you won't have to worry about anymore. And deodorants also work perfectly on non-shaved parts of the body, although the opposite idea is very popular. Supporting the freedom of choice of how you, as a woman, want to express your beauty is a huge gain. Eventually you may begin to discover that group of men who silently appreciate (or are attracted to) women's hair.
- Having body or facial hair can be a very effective way to distinguish boys from men (or girls infected with misogyny from real women), conformists from self-thinkers, and immature people from mature people. The reactions of those you meet will speak for themselves.
- Shaving the pubic area can cause painful regrowth if the hair becomes ingrown. This is an area where it is highly recommended to try to avoid painful effects!
Step 4. Choose how hairy you want to be
There are various levels that you can hold, and the choice is yours. Some women prefer to touch up their eyebrows, while others shave their legs but not their armpits. And then there are those women who don't shave at all. Your choice must be dictated by how comfortable you are with your body, the reasons that drive you not to shave, and also the type of clothing you prefer.
- For some women, a solution is discoloration. Keep the hair but reduce its impact by bleaching it. But be careful not to get carried away, because it could also begin to whiten the skin … In this case it would be better to contact professional centers that provide this service.
- Sometimes too sensitive skin could lead you to shave some parts of the body and leave others free (such as the armpits).
- Another possible choice is "seasonal hairiness". During the winter you can let your hair grow wildly, while in the summer you can shave.
Step 5. Take care of the hair you decide to keep
Whatever your choice and style, there are some tips you should follow:
- Try to soften the hair. Use hair conditioner regularly, but pay attention to the pubic area.
- If your hair seems to be looking messy, comb it using a damp nail brush. Otherwise, let them rule themselves.
- If you want you can shorten the hair using a nail clipper, in order to keep it neat and regular,
- Keep yourself clean. If you don't have time for a shower, wash your armpits at the sink using the shower gel, and then apply the deodorant.
- If you decide to shave, avoid the razor. Short hair is stiffer than normal, stinging and may cause skin irritation and ingrown hair. Depilate using wax, or have a laser treatment.
Step 6. Face criticism with grace and dignity
There will always be someone who will make rude and unintelligent comments, and who will try to convince you to follow their beauty standards. There are many ways to respond to those who are approaching you in an unkind way about your choice not to shave:
- Say nothing. Smile and walk away.
- Ask if they would think the same way if all their hairs suddenly fell out. Then make a comment about how funny it is that in a world where men would do anything not to go bald it forces women to remove naturally growing hair!
- Make a joke about it.
- Investigate better. Ask what exactly they find so disgusting about letting hair grow naturally. Be prepared for a long discussion and many objections. Always remember that you can have a lot of fun with this technique, because the "disgust" aspect is usually not the real reason, and finding out the real reason can reveal a lot about your interlocutor.
- Ask if they really prefer to relegate women to the pre-adolescent state by forcing them to adhere to an infantilizing standard. This method is only recommended for women who want to face a heated discussion that could result in insults against feminism. Don't take a step back, and point out inconsistencies.
- Gaze at them intensely and say they have deeply offended you. Say no more.
Step 7. Be sure of your choice
Others may not even notice it, but even if they do, does it really matter? As with anything that matters to you, try to only hang out with people who don't care about your appearance, or who are otherwise supportive. You can do without everyone else.
- Obviously you have to keep yourself tidy (which is a whole other thing than physical appearance), but don't feel like you have to conform to common sense.
- Feeling ashamed of your choice not to shave could lead you to hide behind opaque clothes, or behind your doorstep. Do not do it; be proud of your hair so that other women can be pushed to be too.
- Search for online support. There are blogs, forums and groups dedicated to women who decide to give up the razor.
Advice
- Facial hair is much less visible than you think. If you believe that bleaching them would be an improvement for you, use a mild cream.
- Excessive hair could be caused by some disorder. Hirsutism (having too much hair) can make life uncomfortable when hair grows on the chin, chest, breast, lips, or other parts where hair usually doesn't grow. Talk to your doctor if you often shave in these areas (some sporadic hair is normal). Problems such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), and ovarian cancers can be the cause of hirsutism.
- If someone tries to tell you they are disgusted with you, ask if they would be willing to shave their eyebrows because someone finds them unpleasant.
- If you have long black hair on your legs, avoid using low-denier tights, as they have the defect of curling the hair making it messy.
Warnings
- The media continues to be reckless, rude and obsessed when it comes to hairy women, especially when it comes to famous women. A famous person who shows even a little bit of underarm regrowth will see his photo enlarged and with a red circle around his armpit published in a magazine or on the internet with the comment that he is a "dirty" person, " unkempt "or" devoid of a sense of order ". This obviously makes no sense, and is simply a sensationalistic way of presenting fake news to sell newspapers, as well as advocating a certain ideal of beauty. You can always try to inform reporters that it is not acceptable to publish bias of this kind. Choosing to shave or not is a personal decision, it is not about hygiene, sloppiness and it is not a scandal.
- Choosing not to shave will likely lead you to be laughed at at times. Always remember that if someone insults you, they are not worth your time.
- There are tons of sites for hairy women. Be careful when looking for them as a source of support, as many of them can have a sexual background; unless, of course, that's something that interests you too!
