to think we owe it to our DC to let our armpits go feral?

[ClockWatchingLady]

When our kids are little, shouldn't they see that women have body hair (and accept it rather than remove it)?
Once they're in their teens, they'll probably see endless full-body-waxed women online, whether we like it or not.
So while they're little and forming their basic impressions of the female body, shouldn't we stop all this bloody depilation? Whether we feel comfortable with it or not, don't we owe it to the younger generation?

Yours faithfully,
Mr Tumnus

I don't generally shave under my arms. Four main reasons

• I am very shortsighted and find it tricky to see them properly
• I have a skin tag on one side and a mole on the other and worry about nicking them
• I find it very uncomfortable after shaving (sticky and prickly)
• I am quite lazy and don't see why I should have to

All well and good, each to their own you might think, but even though I personally find my hairy body perfectly aesthetically pleasing, I still feel very uncomfortable if I think that my armpits might show in public because there is a very very strong ethos that under arm hair (in women) is gross, and women that don't shave are in some way aberant. So every now and then I shave, remember why I hate doing it and stop again.

I've not been able to persuade dd that shaving/hair removal is a hassle that she really doesn't need to bother with, but she knows it is an option. Not for now though I think as the pressure to remove her hair started almost before she had any. Which I think is very sad really.

As for the men, dh usually has a beard and ds is longing for his mustache to really show so that he can be super 'manly'. It's just not the same thing.

My daughter Hates it if she catches me using hair removal cream on my legs. I've had to promise not to "WASTE" my money on it anymore!

I have to admit it though- she's right! Why DO we spend so much money on taking off hairs that will just regrow in a few days!

Although I have thick wavy head hair I have very little arm and leg hair and frequently go weeks before needing to shave. I hate the chemical methods because of the problem of multiple cross contamination (Is that the right term?) with all the other chemicals in our home/body products. Hair removers seem particularly toxic.

DH couldn't mind less about whether I have body hair or not and my previous partner adored the full 70's bush thing so although I have never totally defined what I do by what partners prefer, it must surely have an influence. I couldn't bear DH's Movember so he shaved it off. I also get bad rashes from his stubble so he is considerate in that respect ...

I like that 70's aesthetic anyway- it is the spirit of my age^.....

migonette I'm still reeling from that hairy doll you linked to! A baby doll shouldn't need a crack wax. I think we can all agree on that!

I do think men notice though Guerrilla , I was with a bloke (he was dumped pretty quick) who went out with someone I knew before me, we were only about 16ish and he was in his early 20's. In front of me and his mates he was slagging her off for having a big bush. I felt mortified on her behalf - how awful, I didn't have much hair but at the time would not have thought to trim it other than the actual bikini line. This was a long time ago and way before media pressure like it is now so I think the expectation has been there for a long time.

That was terrible wasn't it Guerilla (like your name BTW)? I couldn't resist then thought Christ, they are going to think I am taking the piss out of a sensible debate and flame me. That was not my intention. But it raises an interesting question. What if Barbie had armpit hair and pubes? Mind you seeing as Barbie has no genitalia or nipples, that's not going to happen....

For all those who don't shave their underarms. Do you actually wear sleeveless clothes? Or swimwear? Do you have bushy dark haired pits, or just soft short and blonde?

Because from reading this thread, I see quite a few who doesn't shave, but I actually have never seen anyone on the street with hairy armpits in sleeveless tops. If you aren't having it on show, then it's not that big a deal to not shave is it? As long as you and your DH/P is happy with it.

Same with hairy legs. I've never seen anyone with hair legs on show. And I mean again dark coloured and very visible hair. (Blondes have it easier as really no one can see their hair unless they look very closely. I'm Chinese so it's a big contrast between skin and hair colour).

Melons he sounds horrible. It was a genuine question- it hasn't ever come up for me but maybe I've been lucky on that front? I guess my point was that for a lot of women here the desire to remove hair isn't for men or for societal reasons, and I was saying from my own experience the men I've known haven't commented or appeared bothered by it anyway.
FWIW I do legs, pits (and toes ) because I prefer the smooth look there. I certainly don't feel under any pressure though and wouldn't judge anyone else. I suppose the blush shows I am a bit cringey about my toe hair, but I have such big feet I already look a bit mannish ankle-down!

Migonette I was trying to work out what it was about. I can only think it is a wind-up. It does remind me of the hairy babies in Father Ted though
I think if anything Barbie would be vejazzled, no?

I have dark, bushy hair One. It's hot wear I live - I wear shorts and sleeveless tops and go feral . I went back to the UK last year and bought a camera case in a shop. The young boy serving was awfully nice but you should have seen his face when I lifted up my arm to lean over and pay . My sisters are also shocked to see it (they are more 'civilized' than me) but think it's really funny. The more I 'expose' my hairy bits actually the more comfortable I am with it and the more I think it bizarre that women shave. I'm also very with comments like upthread about making people feel sick. I mean....pffph...it's just hair!

It must be a wind up Guerilla. The mind boggles at who might buy this

OneLittle I do not have very much armpit hair but I rarely wear sleeveless out and about as I just do not like showing too much flesh. I do shave though if i am going sleeveless and for example on holiday a week ago in Corisca/South of France I noticed a lot of local women who had not shaved but not many tourists seemed to be going au naturel. I don't bother shaving my legs diligently because you truly would need to get very very close to my leg to notice the very fine hairs there. If I had very dark hair I know that I would likely shave it more frequently even though it does not bother me to see it on others at all. I loved the photo of Julia Roberts showing armpit hair and here are some others all looking gorgeous-

here, here, here, here, here (Julia Roberts is often photographed with unshaved pits) and the supermodel Doutzen Kroes here.

What do people think?

BTW I do not agree with the negative tone of the link above but the examples are good, all intelligent women with something to say.

I don't care about body hair at home but do shave armpits if I am going to be wearing a vest top or swimming etc. dd does see me with full hairy legs and an un groomed bikini area...

I am concerned she will think shaving is what you have to do, but am not brave enough to stop removing hair altogether. Anyway, I would have a beard if I didn't pluck those whiskery blighters away.

"there is a horrible bit a few weeks in when it gets scratchy and stinky for a few days....but if you battle through you can abandon deodorant forever"

I wonder if that is about when you stop smelling your own body odour, because you certainly don't stop producing it.

LeBFG yes, it's social pressure isn't it? It's so truly rare in the UK to see hairy women that people can repulsed by it. Mignonette I remember all the negative press on Julia Roberts sadly . I'm not so brave as her. I don't get why people feel sick looking at women's hairy pits? Do they get the same with men's?

mignonette and cheese I guess many are in the camp of shave if on show, and that confirms why I think I never see anyone au naturel in the UK.

Guerilla - he was vile, he was out with my dad and his mates one night and was talking about 'muff diving' (npt with me) - how pleasant AND in front of my dad.

I think it would be good if there was a real sense of personal choice. I don't think there is though; you can choose to go natural, but sadly most people think it's disgusting to have any visible body hair and aren't shy about letting you know.
Regrettably my self-esteem is not strong enough for me to make a stand. I do think they (ie my visble body parts) look better without hair, but I'm not actually concerned with my appearance all the time. It's not my priority.
I have had filthy looks from other women when I've gone out with (nicely toned yet) hairy legs. That's not a nice feeling.

I don't bother shaving armpits in winter and I've always been in a relationship and no one's minded (and if they did, I still wouldn't). It's societal pressure indeed, which I unfortunately play along with in summer when pits are on show. I still don't shave that often so stubbly bits are on show and I don't care. Same goes for legs. It's all so silly. Hygiene wise, hair gets a good lather, like washing head hair - my head hair doesn't smell, neither does my armpit hair.

CoteDAzur Do you know me?

Are you saying I smell?

Perhaps we should have a hairy fb mob thing whatever those things are called .

Alfalfa, as others have said, very few people can really brave the gaze and judgement of others about this. I think you need to be a little indifferent to societal norms (hence my joke about being slightly sociopathic) really to go hairy FT. It's not a bad thing to conform. In fact, conformity is what makes us normal and well-adjusted people .

I don't have to personally come and smell your armpits to know for a fact that you body didn't just stop producing body odour just because you didn't shave for several weeks.

You still have functional sweat glands and some bacteria on your skin? The you have body odour. It has a purpose in nature, and letting armpit hair grow naturally will enhance it, not eliminate it.

You must be so used to your own armpit odour that you don't feel it anymore, like smokers thinking their clothes don't smell.

There is no right or wrong answer. Personal choice is what we all have and if we like shaving, then great. Do it! If we can't be arsed (like me), also great.

I thought Drew Barrymore looked great. And Juliette Lewis has a history of not conforming and going her own sweet way.

And Doutzen? She is a Victoria's Secret model as well as doing several editorial stories for Vogue. Doubt she needs the attention. She is a jobbing model with no agenda as far as I can see. She's also a young Mother.

I'm 57 and ever since I had body hair I've shaved. Well apart from pubes. I just shave my bikini line.
I love having smooth skin, legs and arms/armpits and love slathering on a beautiful smelling body lotion after a shower.
I also get Theodorakisses point, as these threads always blame the patriarchy, and tend to go on to porn as well if women shave their pubes. If it's their fault, so be it, though personally I feel I have made my own choice.
I like being hair free, so shoot me.