Why are people so SHOCKED... - Page 5

[calpurnia]

Originally Posted by sunnmama

But, for the purpose of argument with Wemoon , you don't agree that it is a bit free-thinking for a woman to stop shaving? We get *very* strong messages in our society that woman are supposed to shave their underarms and legs. That hair is "undesirable" in our society. So, in order to feel good about her underarm and leg hair, I think a woman would have to do a lot of independent and free-thinking, and reject society's message.

If only I had known that this thread was about hairy mamas! I would have come on in so much earlier!

So, I agree with Sunnmama.

Something that I think has affected my attitudes towards my hair is that you never see other women's hair. All you see are airbrushed pictures of women with smooth legs, hairless pits, no pube issues etc. I have no real idea whether I am more hairy than other women (unfortunately my women orientated phase never got down to the essentials) or not, & I think that encourages you to identifiy yourself as freaky & "unclean" since you can't put yourself in a real context.

[wemoon]

Don't get me wrong Sunnmama, I really do agree with you. I do like to see hairy women. I geuss it is such a non-issue here because I've done the whole shaving to fit in with society, then stop shaving anything, now shave everything. I can see myself going back to not shaving too. I just don't think it means much to see someone that is hairy... I know when I first did it I was very self-concious over it. So someone may just be going along with someone else's trip, yk? I'm thinking it is much more the attitude over the hair that is there or not there rather than if it is there or not there. LIke I don't shave to fit in with norms, I shave because I just really like to. I love soaking in the tub and taking all kinds of time gently shaving my legs... it is a pampering ritual for me I geuss. Right now I'm kinda hairy, I just shave when I feel like it.

Ok... so if you got anything out of that rambling post I would be amazed :LOL

[JoshuasMommy]

When I met my dh 10 years ago he asked me to not shave my underarms about 4 months into our relationship. He discovered he liked the European look while going to school abroad. I tried it for him although I was very certain I wouldn't like it. Was I WRONG! I have not shaved since. Well once 2 summers ago while in Florida. OUCH! I thought I was going to have to go to emergency for pain medicine...I couldn't put my arms down because it would rub on the huge rash I got. I counted the seconds til my hair grew back. I don't shave the top of my legs never have but I do shave from the knee down once or twice a month ONLY because I stupidly started shaving there when I was 12 yo. Had I never done that I wouldn't shave at all. Tina

[Book Addict Jen]

Originally Posted by greenluv

I have like, 3 arm pit hairs. It's pathetic if I let them grow out, it looks like my shirt has a loose thread dangling there :LOL

We need a non-hairy tribe, lol! I don't shave more than a couple times a year, but have no hair

[Undercover Hippie]

Originally Posted by JoshuasMommy

I don't shave the top of my legs never have but I do shave from the knee down once or twice a month ONLY because I stupidly started shaving there when I was 12 yo. Had I never done that I wouldn't shave at all. Tina

Just curious... why not quit shaving that now? I mean, shaving has no impact on hair growth/thickness/pattern--the hair there is no different than if you'd never shaved it. It might look thicker or darker at first just because you're starting with the blunt-shaven end, but as it grows out and "weathers" so to speak in the sun, wind, friction from bathing, etc. then it will look like hair that has never been shaved. Anyway, just a thought since you sound like you don't want to shave but feel like you have to. :

Tara

ETA: Didn't want to sound snarky or argumentative, I just have read this (that scientifically speaking shaving cannot affect hair growth). I know I used to shave all of my legs, and now don't, and some parts are very hairy (outside of calves)and some aren't (inside of calves, upper thighs). So I think hair growth patterns are really individual--of course we don't ever get to see this since we all feel like we're supposed to shave it off. *sigh*

[Brisen]

I also started shaving my legs at around 12, and did it frequently, and the hair on my lower legs is quite dark and coarse. It's only really on my shins, though, and my dh says he can't see it, so I don't shave. In the last 5 years, I've probably shaved no more than 4 times, and the last time was at least a year ago. I did a bunch of tweezing, too. I don't think it's getting any thinner, but I suppose I haven't been shave-free for too long. I have pale skin and dark hair. Instead of being nice and soft and fairly tamed like dh (fair skinned but also fair haired), it sticks out in all directions. Probably no one else would notice it, but I do. It bugs me. I think I might wax until it thins a bit. I wish I had never began shaving. Though it would have made school even tougher for geeky me.

[shanleysmama]

I quit shaving my legs and pits when I went to Europe a few years back, but when I got home I started to shave my pits again. I let my legs go for 2 years then started shaving them again.

Then a month ago, I thought "the heck with this!" and quit shaving my legs, pits and bikini line. My Mother is horrified. My DH doesn't care. I kinda like it, LOL. I am fair skinned with medium dark hair, and my leg hair sticks out. My pit hair is just starting to lay down nicely. No one has really noticed since I wear s/s shirts due to upper arm flab (here I go worrying about what society thinks of my body parts! It can be so hard to get over!) - but I just ordered some Blue Canoe tank tops so the world's gonna see me now - flab, pit hair and all.

[Brisen]

Originally Posted by adenlilysmama

I just have read this (that scientifically speaking shaving cannot affect hair growth). I know I used to shave all of my legs, and now don't, and some parts are very hairy (outside of calves)and some aren't (inside of calves, upper thighs). So I think hair growth patterns are really individual--of course we don't ever get to see this since we all feel like we're supposed to shave it off. *sigh*

Hmmm, some googling seems to agree with you -- shaven hair doesn't grow back thicker. I think, though, that waxing thins it. There were many more "miracle hair removal" product ads to wade through when I googled about waxing, but one more impartial seeming source said that repeated plucking or waxing (so removal by the roots) can damage the follicle so hair won't regrow.

I have an aunt who says she has never shaved her underarms, always plucked, and eventually they thinned down to about 3 hairs a year. That's a lot of plucking to get you there, though!

[shanleysmama]

Yes, that is true. My sister and I both waxed and used an Epilady for awhile, and we both have bald spots on our lower legs where the hair quit growing back.

[mountain]

Originally Posted by wemoon

Oh come on Mountain... I know you and your secret ninja stuff... you really just started this thread to JUDGE ALL OF US!!!




And I shave everything because I'm a grown woman that has her own free will Not because I want to look like a child.

I totally love you wemoon and your free will too!

I totally have to judge you for thinking that I'm judging you.

where's the "stirring the sh*t pot" smiley?

It's just really strange to me how much pain women have to go through for vanity...in order to look 'sexy'.

In China two inch feet were 'sexy' so the women bound their feet into blistering fetid stumps. This effectively ensured they would NOT BE ABLE TO RUN AWAY. Men were able to have upwards of fifty concubines because these women could not physically get away.

Fast forward to high heels in this country. Comfortable? HELL NO. Can you run in high heels? WHY NO, YOU CANNOT. Not as "cannot" as the foot stumps in china, but still in the same vein. I wonder how many men who rape pick weaknesses such as "unable to run"...hmmm.

While I'm off on my radical tangent, perhaps women are under societal pressure to worry worry worry about appearance (hair makeup thinness fatness boob size waist size foot size) because it BENEFITS the people with the POWER.

Seriously, if you're shaving for 3 hours, that's 3 hours that you're not disturbing the serious imbalance of power. Doing your makeup for 1/2 an hour every day? Why, that's 30 minutes where you're not out in the world not accepting hatred and power of money.

Men shave for a few minutes, take a few minutes to dress, and generally don't spend as much time as women on their appearance.

Hmmm.

[mountain]

Originally Posted by sarahrose

But more power to you if you don't. Who really cares.

well, it's worth discussing, don't you think?

those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it, right?

[Undercover Hippie]

Originally Posted by mountain

While I'm off on my radical tangent, perhaps women are under societal pressure to worry worry worry about appearance (hair makeup thinness fatness boob size waist size foot size) because it BENEFITS the people with the POWER.

Seriously, if you're shaving for 3 hours, that's 3 hours that you're not disturbing the serious imbalance of power. Doing your makeup for 1/2 an hour every day? Why, that's 30 minutes where you're not out in the world not accepting hatred and power of money.

Men shave for a few minutes, take a few minutes to dress, and generally don't spend as much time as women on their appearance.

Hmmm.

This was pretty much the gist of the discussion we had in Women's Studies and many other feminist books I've read. Get women to worry about the little stupid things, so they can't worry about the big important things. :

And oh yeah--waxing, plucking, or anything that takes hair out by the roots will eventually make the hair come back finer or not at all because the root is getting damaged. I wonder too if friction can do it--because I have less hair on the outside of my legs where they rub more on my jeans, and a lot of men are like that too I've noticed.

Tara

[mountain]

Originally Posted by tinyshoes

yoink! --- am I gunna get my mdc-ship revoked for my post here?

I am one of the SHOCKED people. What is my deal, I'm not sure.

In theory, yes, no woman should have to shave her pits.

It is 100% retarded and arbitrary and quite possibly pure bs from The Man that anyone is currently expected to shave her pits.

Okay, I'm not sure which is worse...people who are completely clueless, or people who KNOW they reasons why they should be accepting.......AND STILL MAKE STRANGE COMMENTS!

Originally Posted by tinyshoes

Ewww gross, Madonna went hairy?!?!

[mountain]

Originally Posted by Persephone

There is this article: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_012.html

This was really interesting...

Corporate advertisers in charge of our beauty. Wow. Love of money cannot surpass love of love.

[mindycat72]

Question.

I have, in the past, done the au naturale thing. I have in the last year or so, considered it again. What stops me is that I am constantly battling yeast : rashes in my pits. Do you think hair would help or hinder in this situation?

Also, I shave the bottom half of my legs, here's why. The hair that grows on my arms and thighs is very light and fine. For some reason, I seem to grow pubic hair below the knees : . WHY???? Its long, dark, curly, and, I kid you not, I can feel it in the breeze.

So, any advice for this wooly wannabe?

[wemoon]

Originally Posted by mountain

I totally love you wemoon and your free will too!

I totally have to judge you for thinking that I'm judging you.


Men shave for a few minutes, take a few minutes to dress, and generally don't spend as much time as women on their appearance.

Hmmm.

I you too

AND women are so much more beautiful than men so maybe men should take a little time on themselves? Nah... it wouldn't help any

[velcromom]

I love this thread! I have quietly been launching a hairy pit resistance movement right now. It is just long enough to be clearly not the result of forgetting to shave. DH seems a bit taken aback but is too sweet to say anything directly until it reeeeaaaalllly bothers him, if it will. Ds1 seems amused but annoyed, since he is currently unable to grow his own pit hair and mom has lots. Ds2 notices the armpits more often and announces, "That's your armpits!!" at random intervals thus drawing attention to them. Tank top weather is here. To shave or not to shave?? I usually shave about 4 times each summer, but feel resistant to the idea this year. You women are a bad influence. :LOL

[Brisen]

Originally Posted by adenlilysmama

I wonder too if friction can do it--because I have less hair on the outside of my legs where they rub more on my jeans, and a lot of men are like that too I've noticed.

Dh has noticed the same thing. And I remember hearing you could tell Scotsmen who wear kilts often because they have hairy knees.

[heldt123]

Ooooh! What a cool thread and yes, I read every post! He..he...he...

I've been telling my husband that I'd love to just strangle the person that invented the razor for women...ugh. Love to go hairy, but if my armpit hair gets even a 1/4" long or so, my husband goes "gross." And I have that thick almost black hair that is very noticeable, especially on my blindingly white Minnesota legs. I honestly can't say if I like long armpit hair on myself as, sadly, I have always shaved it. It is hard to get used to seeing women with armpit hair, but I have no problems with it at all, especially considering that it is a very brave act in this commercial society. The only thing I actually like shaved is my crotch, with the exeption of a little patch...just could never get used to the bushy tangle that inevitably grows (Ok, maybe too much information ).

[girlndocs]

BwahaHAAAAAAA! What a great thread!

I am hairy, hairy, hairy. Well, not really, as my hair isn't very thick or dark. I quit shaving oooooooooh 4 years ago? (Can it be that long? Wow!) in a fit of feminist -stirring inspired by hanging out at hipMama.

I do not even want to think about how insane I would be today if I were concerned about removing my body hair regularly. Or how poor we would be if I bought all those razors!

I totally, totally agree that every ounce of mental energy we spend worrying about our body hair (or makeup, or this month's 'in' shoe, or whether our pantyhose has a run, or or or) is an ounce of mental energy not devoted to thinking freely, questioning cultural mores or, essentially, fighting The Man :nana:










(Clearly I am getting just a little silly with lack of sleep, so I'll be on my way to bed now : )