There is a lot of concern about taking care of body hair. Razor ads are prevalent and pictures in magazines often show women whose legs and armpits are hairless. Over the past decade or so, there has also been a widening discussion of shaving one’s pubic hair. Men face pressure to shave their face, and may feel some pressure to shave their genitals, but much of this pressure is most heavily directed towards women. There’s a lot to think about when it comes to body hair, and there is a wide variety of grooming options, from eyebrow shaping to bikini waxing.
The first thing that you have to remember is that you are free to do what you like with your body hair. Though popular culture and advertisements may make it seem like hair should be removed from just about everywhere, you are the owner of your body and it’s up to you. If you don’t like shaving your legs, you don’t have to. If you like how having shaved armpits feel, go for it. If you are shaving your legs, or armpits, or pubic hair because you are ashamed, stop and think about why you feel that shame and whether or not it is necessary. Evolution designed our body to be naturally hairy, and you are free to groom or not groom it however YOU like!
If you choose to groom your body hair, it is important to make sure that you do it in a way that is safe for you. This is most important for pubic hair, which is on sensitive places of the body, like the vulva or near the scrotum. Some shaving creams or gels can be irritating to sensitive skin. Scented or harsh products can cause irritation, which could lead to infections, especially vaginal ones. Also, never share a razor with anyone else. If you are curious about shaving, tweezing, waxing, threading, or laser hair removal, do your homework beforehand.
Another aspect of this conversation that is important to think about is how you treat other people’s body hair. If you see a woman with some hair around her lips are you rude to her? Why? How does that behavior help you or the other person? If you are having sexual contact with someone are you accepting of the way that they choose to groom their body parts? If not, how might this be hurtful to your partner? When we talk about issues like bodily shame, it is important to recognize not only how we feel about ourselves, but also how we act to those around us. This can help all of us love and accept our bodies a little bit more!
