AIBU to think armpit hair is a moral issue?

[ICBINEG]

How did it come to pass that the natural appearance of an adult woman has become socially unacceptable?

Adult women have hair on their arms, legs, fanjo and (if you can bear the disgustingness of it all) armpits.

In a not at all surprising turn of events the natural appearance of an adult male is still considered attractive including (god forbid) hairy legs, arms, balls and armpits.

Why have we adopted a prepubescent look as the optimum for women but mysteriously not done the same for men?

AIBU to next shave myself when shaving becomes compulsory for EVERYONE and not just those without a Y chromosome?

Observation of my SIL suggests it can take over a year to unlearn the societal conditioning and start seeing your own hairy armpits as attractive....a whole year to stop thinking the natural female form is repulsive....AIBU in thinking that society is totally fucked up?

I don't think it's just women though, I can go off to work every day in long sleeves and trousers with nobody knowing or caring when I last shaved any part of me. Whereas DH has to shave his face every single morning if he doesn't want to be seen to be scruffy at work.

However I can't think of any "male sleb in 5 o'clock shadow shame" shock headlines, in that respect it is not equal.

I also remember when women objected to routine shaving before labour because they considered it humiliating. And it's not that long ago.

Emsiero I agree people shouldn't care about others choices, unfortunately most people are too nosey and judgemental, I don't mind body hair on women, in fact it's there for a reason!

In fact, I remember a girl at work (I was about 18 at the time so it must have been 1190ish) telling me that she'd shave all her pubes off and we all collapsed laughing! It was really shocking and we really enjoyed her daily updates of how much she wanted to have a bloody good scratch on the shop floor.

Heh!

I never used to shave, until I got judged for it, and now I do shave, even years later! (Except when its winter and no one can see it to judge me)!!

1990ish! Not 1190 - jesus I'm not that old!

Bonsoir, I know that you live in Paris, but I can assure you that when we holiday in the southeast of France, there are plenty of hairy armpits around!

I thinks it's more about looking the opposite to a man than trying to look like a child.

Interesting point OhNoMyFoot, I do loathe my tash

"I don't think we have 'adopted a prepubescent look as the optimum for women'.

We just realised that female armpits and legs look nicer without hair on."

But when did we do this? And who decided?

I find all the defensiveness on this issue quite hilarious. Why will people not just agree that they shave/wax/diet/groom because it is the cultural norm and they want to fit in? There can't be that many free thinkers on Mumsnet can there?

arf at all the 'I am doing it for noone but me'

Yep I am sure if you were stranded on a desert island with naught but a razor, make up kit and someone else's disk collection you would still spend 2 hours in the morning putting on makeup and removing hair from all bodily surfaces cracks and crevasses.

arf at 'I remove it to feel clean'

No doubt you also shave your hair off then?

arf at 'do what you like and leave us to do as we like - it's none of your business.'

yeah because you don't get judged against what is considered societally normal at all....apart from all day everyday....

It's not just women who share & wax is it tho? I reckon most men my age (

for me, it's just that i sweat more if I go for the european approach

I also find it uncomfortable that women feel pressure to shave/wax everywhere though :( and that young men increasingly think this is normal

YY emsiero - I think the porn thing is definitely a large factor. We are going against the true reason for bodily hair though which is to attract the other sex.

I veet my foof because otherwise I look like I have spiders coming out my swimmies.

But I agree with OP (a bit) that we are all under pressure to do so.

ewww who wants a mouthful of sweaty nasty hair?

BINGO!!!

Never mind Plenty, at least whois and her boyf are vewy happy eh? Dats de most important thing.

whois who wants a mouth full of smelly hair? well actually most people do...or would if they had tried it. The whole point is to smell of the opposite sex...it is erm....sexy. As to who wants a mouth full of deodorant powder...well that is quite a different crowd...

Utterly baffled as to why other people's hair is of any concern to others whatsoever. Madness.

BINGO? Did we win something? (hopes it is pictures of what real women are supposed to look like in every media outlet in the world for the next year)

surely most people have a quick wash on the contemplation to oral sex being on the cards anyway hair or no hair

psammead so you don't think that what people do on average restricts what others are 'allowed' to do without being judged/bullied?

See? Why does it have to come down to that? Having pubic hair on one's fanny doesn't make you sweaty and smelly and nasty!

Such emotive language to use.