Quote:
Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA
I would be interested, Tea Supremicist and Burning Down, to hear your opinions on why you shave if you stopped shaving, went out in public in shorts or a tank top, and experienced people's reactions to your leg and underarm hair (their stares, their cruel comments).
Maybe people in the UK and Canada don't react like they do in the U.S., but after facing ridicule as one does here, I think it would be hard for a woman to say she truly shaves because she WANTS to. Rather, I think she would admit that she shaves because she knows that if she doesn't, she will be ridiculed, and SHE HAS BEEN TAUGHT TO BELIEVE THAT HER BODY HAIR IS UGLY!!!!!! After all, if a woman LIKED her leg and underarm hair, would she shave it off? So, why doesn't she like it?? THAT'S the important question to answer.
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Unfortunately for me, in the area I live in I don't really conform to the 'correct' image anyway. With the tattoos, weird haircuts and general attitude I have I'm commonly known around here as 'that
dyke' or (my personal favourite) 'that freak'. I can't walk down the road without having to walk past at least one person who will comment on my appearance in a cruel way. I'm used to it now (I've never been one to conform, but not in a scary Lady Gaga way
) and I can genuinely say it really doesn't bother me. So, added to that, if I stopped shaving my legs and underarms, it would just be yet another thing for the 'locals' to pounce on - this could all be down to the fact that I live in a small village because I get less comments when I venture into the bright lights. I'm not really sure it would affect me
that much. But as I said earlier, it feels nice. There's nothing better than having a long bath and feeling all smooth and moisturised and soft! I agree that it is a social norm and that it is expected of women, from other women and men alike, but for me part of it is taking pride in my appearance (even if nobody else seems to like it!) which is important to me because if I feel that I look nice and have made the effort for myself then I feel good. If that makes any sense...