To not be fussed about shaven legs and swimming

Saaaaaame. I once sent arsehole ex-friend a photo of my horribly black and blue ankle after a trip to hospital and she replied with "shave your legs!". Cowpat.

Re growth in a day is minimal unless you shave every day. Stubble shaving can easily cause infection.

Then you are not a very nice friend.

Your friend can do one. I'm not sure I'd notice if a mate had shaved her legs or not, but I certainly couldn't care less either way.

I have dark hair and go weeks without shaving legs and pits as husband doesn’t care but I’d not want to swimming like that!

YANBU - I think most people have bigger fish to fry than concerning themselves with their swimming companions leg hair.
As you were OP.

I'd think, respect for a woman who doesn't feel the need to shave her legs if she doesn't want to.
And I do shave mine!

Seriously?? You’d say something to a man who had shaved his legs???

Why do you think it’s ok to comment on someone else’s body hair?

What a ridiculous statement.
Other than having birthed 3 children, I do none of those things.
I refuse to shave my legs.
You can do whatever you want, but you would have absolutely NO right to comment on what another woman chooses to do.

how rude! it's literally none of your business what other people do with their body hair.
and how is it like not brushing your teeth or not flushing the toilet? those are unhygienic. having body hair isn't unhygienic.

I would prefer to see hairy legs over someone’s bum cheeks (ref post on thong swimwear in public pool).

I don't shave often. I'm happy to swim and I've only once had comments from a particularly bitchy group of female teenagers. I called them out on it and I hope I've brought up mine better than that.

Again you've used an example though of something mandatory, unacceptable not to do. It's a huge safety issue not to wear a seat belt?
Its not a 'shocking' choice not to remove body hair, nor is it one that has any consequence at all for anyone? It just is not comparable to the habitual use of a seat belt, that's ingrained into us due to its importance!

If someone said something to me I’d respond with confusion & just keep asking why they were saying that.

But why would you have felt the need to say something and feel shocked? You said you would feel shocked in your first post and feel you had to say something. Why?

I don't shave but wax . I do it because I prefer the look n feel of being hair free and it's more socially acceptable. If you don't care about societal norms and you prefer not to shave then don't .

I agree! Although I wouldn’t say anything.

I think the OPs ‘footballer’ leg hair would make me feel a bit grim.

i feel similarly when men have lots of back and chest hair too.

i concur that it’s something you just do, I shower every day so everyday I give my legs, armpits and fanny a quick whizz over with the razor. It takes two mins as I do it everyday.

Apologies, I thought you said you.do.it without thinking.

I often find myself questioning things I do or have always done automatically, and have gone down some fascinating rabbit holes!

Don’t give a scooby about women with unshaven legs, and probably wouldn’t notice anyway , but there is a man who swims at the same time as me and his back hair is like a rug, and that does make me cringe.

#doublestandardsbutdontcare.

Gender crap.

I wear dresses occasionally but I haven’t worn high heels or makeup for about 30 years & the part of my body I shave most is my head, although I haven’t done that for quite a while.

The idea that being a ‘proper’ woman is related to whether someone conforms to social expectations, not just to biology, is closely linked to the even more stupid idea that a man in a dress & makeup should be called ‘she’.

I’m not suggesting that anyone on this thread thinks that but do you see the parallels?

I’m 42, brought up in Spain (relevant). I haven’t fully stopped leg and armpit hair removal as I can’t quite rid myself of the indoctrination I had as a teen, however especially in winter i now go to the pool with hairy legs yes.

my mother is horrified and would/does comment.

i think its all patriarchal bullshit to be honest. We should be free to do what the hell we want with our bodies, and as a busy mum, those extra 20-25 mins in the week not spent epilating are not to be sniffed at!!.

you know what they say - it suits corporate business for women to feel not good enough, so we continue to spend money on hair dye, perfume, cosmetics, etc etc etc

I would say it also suits to keep us busy with such pursuits, rather than free to spend that time how we please

You've got way too much time on your hands if you notice your friends' shaving habits.

Really though? There is no part of a woman's body that doesn't have some sort if "ideal" attached to it.
I have fever seen anything for men about smoothing the skin on their knees or .elbows, No one gives a shit if they have cankles or a crepey décolletage. They are happy with eyelashes they've got.

I'd love to think the youth have got over the obsession with women having to adhere to weird beauty standards. But not sure we are there yet.

I sound like a prat but I do lots of other things to myself, like creams, makeup, hair etc, mid 30s, like to look nice, don't like to shave my legs though - your friend would be aghast at the sight of my pins, the hairs are SO long! And my armpits too - just not my thing. Am smooth everywhere else (not sure if she was policing bikini lines or just legs)

I never, ever have unshaven anything except my head! On ME personally I think it's gross! I like the feeling of smooth everything, i think hairy armpits on ME look grotesque and I don't want pubic hair. So, no, I wouldn't go swimming with hairy anything!

However, I couldn't give a shiny shite whether anyone else does, how close do people get that they notice what level someone's Hairyometer is up to?