Letters to the Editor
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I'll see your Brazillian and raise you a Sack Back and Crack, thanks.
When I was thirteen, a girlfriend of mine came to visit from another country. She had just entered puberty and subsequently had the beginings of underarm hair. I didn't notice this until we arrived at the mall and she became the target of three eighteen year old guys who had seen her arm hair under her short sleeve top. Because she didn't speak english, she couldn't understand them and didn't really notice. But they were staring and calling us names. Insults like 'hairy dogs!', and 'she needs a razor', 'shave your armpits', 'are you a guy?' loudly and rudely. I was young and I didn't stick up for myself even though I was furious. We left.
Since then I have always always had a disdain for this double standard placed on women. It's not that guys ask, it's that some guys expect it and as some pig-headed replies here prove the reaction is 'it's normal now, if you don't do it, you 're a freak, and gross.' It's the shame you feel if you don't conform, like that day when I was thirteen, that bothers me.
As woman I'm expected to shave my armpits, my legs, my fanny and my bush, practically everywhere except my head-- but men can be as hairy as they please all over their body with the exception of their faces. What? How is that fair? Okay so no one is making me do this, I haven't got a gun to my head. But the experience with my friend proved, either I conform or get stares, jeers and general put downs from not only the opposite sex but my own gender. Um, no.
I have a lovely boyfriend now who accepts my yeti like qualities without question. However I generally keep my face and legs free of hair even though its really painful. But for the even more painful areas-- if he wants me to shave my armpits he can shave his. If he wants me to get a brazillian he can get a sack back and crack.
Ladies, shave trim or wax at your discretion, and lose the guy if you're not comfortable doing that, but don't get bullied into doing it or shamed into conforming.