To not be fussed about shaven legs and swimming

after reading your batshit comments I have no idea what you would have a problem with?

I didn't say it wasn't I said for me it's part of my routine that I do naturally without thinking

We are the same in the standards of hygiene and presentability that is expected for us to be in society. We must have clean bodies, clean clothes, clean teeth (or at least no bad breath). The only thing that women have to do to maintain acceptable hygiene and presentability that men do not is to appropriately manage their menstruation. Men, on the other hand, may need to bathe more frequently to manage their body odor. Carrying a handbag and wearing high heels and makeup are not things that you need to do to maintain your hygiene or presentability as a woman, I am in no way a tomboy, I exclusively wear dresses and have tailbone length hair and consider myself very feminine, and I have never worn makeup, and aside from a brief foray into shaving due to social pressure due to having to change in front of others for P.E, my body hair has been in its natural state.

Maybe this is a generational difference as I am 23 and my husband is 26, but attitudes to body hair in my social group are very neutral.

YANBU. I think the focus on women's (but not men's) body hair, and the implication that it is somehow unclean and we should somehow be ashamed of it (even on a body part as innocuous as legs) is totally ridiculous. It’s really shocking how many young women buy into this.

Do you have the same reaction to head hair?

I'm genuinely curious here, not being snarky. I also have a quite extreme 'yuk' reaction to a normal human body thing that doesn't bother most people (not hair, but not logical and totally my issue to deal with).

I probably wouldn't mention to my friend unless directly asked or brought up on a conversation. As it's a personal thing and doesn't affect me.

But personally I dont like to see and dont like to have hairs (apart from on my head and eyebrows)😅

I just wear leggings which are really old cycling leggings with a zip

I preferred to shave when I swam regularly, but each to their own.

It’s not something I do 🤷‍♀️.

Teeth brushing is about hygiene and strong teeth.

Toilet flushing is about sanitation and not being disgusting (although I know some people don’t flush wees because water conservation).

Leg shaving is about nothing than beauty standards.

And I have repeatedly said i see it as normal everyday things you do without thinking like flushing the toilet, brushing your teeth I don't know how many times I have to say this. Do you honestly think after reading my comments on this thread that I would have a problem with saying it's a hygiene thing if I thought it was a hygiene thing I would just say that 🤔

I use the pool and pool area in my gym a lot and I have never once looked or checked out another woman’s body hair. What you choose to do is your business and given the amount of hairy blokes around I don’t think it’s an issue to give any thought to.
I’m amused and saddened some women spend so much time judging other women.

I think public swimming is not for you, if you can't handle other people swimming too.

She'll be staying as an acquaintance then. I cba with any of that and I couldn't give a shit if people judge me for it either. That's not the kind of person I would want to spend time with.

Im going to be that person too. I've actually not seen hairy women in the pool, but it gives me the complete ick to see hairy men in the pool - to the point I want to get out. I just feel it's really dirty. Appreciate it's probably irrational but I just think all those tiny hairs floating in the pool is gross!

I don't think it's been the social norm.for women fit very long, and lots don't do it. It's hardly universal.

You said you'd "say something" to a friend who didn't shave...what would you say?

There's something almost childlike and naive in asserting that men and women are different because women wear dresses and high heels and carry handbags.
I'm surprised there wasn't also a comment stating as fact that women only wear pink and men only wear blue.

I wonder how anyone can go through life blindly accepting everything that is presented to them as being 100% correct, however uncomfortable or unfair it may be. How can you never question a thing about the world? Such a weird mindset.

teeth cleaning and toilet flushing.

Show me one comment where I have mentioned hygiene.

You are utterly backpedalling - you compared it to hygiene practises that you know full well people would be disgusted at others not practising.
Shaving body hair is not in the same category. It's more akin to choices like wearing makeup, or men choosing to shave facial hair - some do. Some don't. It's not a hygiene choice it's a personal style choice.

I don't think if I have ever noticed or paid any attention to whether other women shave, or not. I prefer to be smooth like a dolphin 😂 but I couldn't care less about anyone else.

Yeah, the Chewbacca comment was completely vile. Definitely someone who enjoys belittling others.

I am not shaving my legs for swimming, no reason to do it. And noone from my friends is dumb enough to comment on it.

The point where I am unsure is bikini line - I don't shave it either and I am not willing to start. I am willing to compromise by masking it by having a short shorts style swimming bottoms (totally swimming material), but it is so hard to purchase them ( I really need to try them on before buying) that I might just give up, noone cares anyway.

The ‘hair issue’ has started with my daughter already and she’s only 6. Comments from peers etc. I used to wax my arms but now I don’t bother because I want to show her it’s perfectly normal to have body hair. It’s a pain in the arse having to shave daily/weekly or spend hundreds on laser hair removal. Good on you, OP. Your friend sounds very immature tbh, body hair isn’t contagious! She’s decided to remove hers, great. You’ve decided to keep yours, also great (and less of a ball ache).

Yeah I don't care! I can't remember the last time I shaved my legs. It's your body so your choice.

Then stop shaving. You are going against what you want to do. You're letting strangers dictate how you look after your body, steal time from you and annoy you.