AIBU to not shave my legs or armpits?

[AgeingArtemis]

I don't shave my legs - I epilate them occasionally in the summer time so I don't look too chewbaca like, but this is infrequent so I am usually a bit fluffy.

Likewise I only shave my armpits if/when I feel like it- I usually do if I am going to be wearing sleeveless tops around people that I don't want to horrify, but in winter I can easily go several months without doing it. Sometimes I also just shave them randomly, because I want to, so I'm not doing it only for public appearance, but I definitely am more likely to do it when I know I will be seen.

(Yes I am a slattern, no I don''t care )

I haven't done my legs or armpits in a while. My hair is light brown so whilst legs are noticeable fairly close, they aren't comically gorilla like.

I am going to the beach with a large group of friends tomorrow. Normally I would remove hair for something like this. But today I simply don't feel like it. We are all in our early twenties, so in my group hair removal is simply considered a thing that women do, like washing your hair. It's sad but true. So I know that my hair will be a BIG DEAL but I also know that the other women in the group moan about "having" to shave and how annoying it is, so I kind of also want to show them that no, you don't have to!

So AIBU to unleash my hairyness (it's really not that bad I promise, I don't look like a man!) on the beach?

(unrelated but I have another friend- different group- who NEVER wears shorts or skirts (not even exercising) because she doesn't want to remove her (blond, fine) leg hair but feels that it's simply unacceptable to have hair in public )

[forkhandles4candles]

No you are not BU. I live with my hair, take it off occasionally...but hell, what the flip? I am much older though...I think I feel sorry for those younger than me. In my day, it wasn't quite so strictly enforced. Oh and we had something called feminism which helped.

[JapaneseSlipper]

Carry on. I'm exactly the same as you.

I hardly ever shave my armpits because I don't have much hair, same with my legs. The hair on my legs does get quite long which I find a bit uncomfortable but for some reason I'm resistant to shaving it.

I think it might have something to do with finding my mum's prickly leg hairs very weird as a child!

[ThornyBird]

I flit between full on pitmuffs and shaven. I shaved 3 weeks ago for a party but haven't since and may not for weeks/months. Same with legs.

I stopped waxing due to chronic urticaria flair ups - I thought it might be a trigger - and disliked being judged as dirty and lazy on forums such as this.

Now I know that shaving actually helps my legs, it is now purely down to being a lazy slattern...

[Crispbutty]

I'm all for equality but would rather see a man with smooth legs than a woman with hairy ones.

[AgeingArtemis]

I think I'm going to just do it.

Crispbutty I actually agree, I think most young, fit tanned men look very nice with smooth legs but I don't see mens hairy legs as gross, just normal. Whereas with women it's such a rarity to see that I think we have more of a reaction to it?

I do think shaven legs and armpits look nice, but I still cba to do it

[fatmomma99]

Go for it and be proud, I say.

BUT I do shave my legs daily. (and I'm very fine haired, so it doesn't really show if I don't), but I like my legs being smooth. I just do. It's not a chore for me.... I shower every day, I wash my bits, I shave my legs - it takes seconds. I'm not always very thorough, but it doesn't really show on me anyway.

I'm probably older than you (I'm older than everyone!) but to women a bit older than me (my mum, my older cousins) shaving was a feminist issue, and it was considered very liberated to NOT shave. So embrace your inner Female Eunuch!

[AnotherUsernameBitesTheDust]

Go for it. I am the same as you - I do it when I can be bothered and in winter that's very rarely. I don't often do my pits as I don't wear sleeveless tops. A couple of summer ago I didn't shave my legs for the whole of summer and still went swimming etc. no one fainted, though I guess it's a bit different to sitting on the beach all day, no one could see once I was in the pool.

[NowSissyThatWalk]

You are my hero!

[NowSissyThatWalk]

Just read that back and it comes across very trite when I didn't mean it to.
I wish I didn't admire women or didn't remove their hair, but I do. I try and do it as much as I can but always bottle it before it gets too hairy.
Have a lovely time with your friends and make sure you have a very laid back air about you when you do!

[MustStopAndThinkBeforePosting]

Go for it. Any comments, reply "my body does not exist for your enjoyment"

[MrsJayy]

Somebody told me years ago if you didn't shave your pits you would smell so for years I shaved every other day till the other year I had a frozen shoulder and couldn't lift to shave was so liberating I only do it now when I feel like it and I don't reek at all I shave more in the summer than I do the winter and since I've stopped shaving every other day it doesn't seem as thick

[DecaffCoffeeAndRollupsPlease]

I never scrape my skin with a blade. Just give anyone who bothers to comment a withering look.

[MsPavlichenko]

No.

[YourPerception]

I have hardly any leg hair left now. I occasionally shave my pits in the summer. I find it cooler to not have hair warming me up.

[EBearhug]

Just do it. See if anyone comments without you mentioning it.

I rarely wax my legs (shaved them once when I was 13, never since.) No one has ever run screaming from the swimming pool or beach. I went swimming this evening.

[houseeveryweekend]

Go for it!! If you start not shaving maybe your friends will follow! I had a friend who had really bad eczema and couldnt shave her legs because of it and she would always wear leggings etc even in really intense heat and i felt really sorry for her. Just get your hairy legs out no one actually minds that much if you dont shave your legs except a handful of people who are just dickheads anyway and would find anything to get 'grossed out' by. x

[LifeIsGoodish]

In my 20s I had an Italian friend who was always very glamorously dressed. She found it hilarious how we Brits obsessed with removing body hair, yet would go to out in trackies. She, needless to say, was unshaven, but would not even go to the supermarket without full face paint and nail varnish.

[LifeIsGoodish]

BTW, I'm with you OP: as and when I fancy.