This is one of those odd topics that can be a bit uncomfortable due to its private nature, but I find talking about it to be somewhat hilarious.

I’ve always wondered where did all this hair obsession come from. Not “good hair”, like the hair on your head, but “bad hair” like the air under your arms, on your legs, and on your bikini line.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that this had to be societally constructed because I doubt that the women in Jesus’ time were running around considering brazilian waxes or anything similar.

The things that women are expected to do in the name of “beauty and cleanliness” are very similar to torture to me. Bikini waxes, brazilian waxes yea right. Why don’t you just take my eyelid and pull it under my chin? There’s nothing that a pair of scissors, a razor, and some Nair can’t accomplish.

But back to the history of all this.

I found this article about A History of Attitudes Towards Womens hair in the United States by Judy Jarvis and it says:

“American female body hair shaving was triggered by a “sustained marketing assault” that began first against armpit hair in 1915, when sleeveless dresses came into fashion. An ad in the May 1915 issue of the upper-class women’s magazine Harper’s Bazaar features a woman with her sleeveless arms flung into the air, exhibiting her hairless armpits. The ad reads: “Summer Dress and Modern Dancing combine to make necessary the removal of objectionable hair.” Seventy-two percent of the hair remover ads in Harper’s Bazaar from 1915 to 1919 specifically mention underarm hair , most mentioning only underarm hair. In 1918, ads began mentioning “limbs,” though legs were not mentioned by name until 1923.”

Hmm so you mean marketers were attacking women’s body images back in the 20’s?

“Sears Roebuck stores began selling sheer-sleeved dresses in 1922 and not-so coincidentally, the first women’s razors showed up for sale in their fall 1922 catalogue. Ads from the mid-20s typically put equal emphasis on underarm and leg hair removal. The World War II-era shortening of skirts further helped advertisers’ thrust for leg hair removal…”

I hinted earlier that people often say you aren’t clean if you don’t jump for joy when people suggest you spread your legs wide open in front of a stranger, put wax on your nether regions, and rip it off. Then turn around, bend over like a dog, and let them do it again.

Why do women do this?!?! Because they don’t want to be seen as a nasty, unclean, outcasts. It makes the sex better right?

“…Were the argument of shaving for cleanliness and personal hygiene truly valid, it would follow that both genders would engage in obligatory hair removal, as did the ancient Egyptians.”

True, this article is talking about leg and under arm hair, but I think the same sentiments apply.

What about all you ladies who truly enjoy the experience? Everyone’s not brainwashed. You have your own thoughts about the issue..right?

“I shave because I like it” is a frequent assertion, but a historically inaccurate statement. Women shave because Harper’s Bazaar arbitrarily told them to in 1915. But razor companies are doing everything possible to make sure you forget it, because the simple origins of female body hair removal are enough to make us question this destructive, expensive, and unnecessary cultural habit.”

Hey, I’ll admit that I’m partially brainwashed, but not to the point where I’m going to do something uncomfortable,somewhat humiliating, and quite painful just so that I don’t feel like an outcast.

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