To not want Office to tell me I need to shave my legs?

[AliceInWonderland3]

I got an email this week from Office trying to sell me summer shoes, the email also told me not to forget to shave my legs.

AIBU to not want a business who wants female customers telling them they need to shave their legs? I shave my legs because I know people I encounter day-to-day will be horrified by body hair on a woman, but I don't need a business trying to make me feel bad if I choose to go outside without doing so. Or trying to make me feel disgusted by something natural

I haven't heard people be insulted for not wearing makeup since I left school. I prefer women who wear either the bare minimum or none. Don't let social bullies tell you how to live/look. You're adults,act like it

MrsGideon YES YES YES your entire post. Well said.

x100

And MrJones1977, it's a bit more subtle than that. No one comes up to you on the street and tells you to wear makeup. BUT there is plenty of evidence that women who wear makeup in the workplace are perceived as more competent. As one example of everyday sexism.

(Also - although I've never seen any research on this point - it's always been my belief that men who think they prefer women without makeup actually just prefer 'the natural look', which is a VERY different thing and can be quite time consuming to achieve.)

MrJones - you are spectacularly missing the point. Women are insulted for not shaving their legs which is exactly why your comparison with make up is nonsense.

Advertising telling us we want something we don't is just advertising. Women being made to feel like they are choosing to do something when actually the reality is that to make the choice against the grain could end in insults and derision is social conditioning. The two are not the same.

I was the one who made the point about make-up. Honestly, I can't even be bothered with this. Shave, don't shave, buy from Office, don't buy from Office - who cares?

You do realise that advertising that bombards you with messages and celeb endorsements is a form if social conditioning. And seriously now, you let jibs about leg shaving,make up get to you. And as for 'getting somewhere' due to beat you look isn't very fulfilling as it's not different to arse kissing your way up the ladder,employment it otherwise.

MrsGideon, I have to say that makes a lot of sense and people could learn from what you said

Great post MrsGideon. It's depressing how apparently invisible it is, this pressure to conform to the sexist image of what a woman 'should' be like. It's only in the last few years that I've really woken up to it, and once you see it, you see it everywhere.

Until we get to the point where men (even men who stay in great shape) are shamed for ageing and for going grey and for putting on ten pounds, then talk about advertising campaigns aimed at men can't be used as a comparison.

I've seen men being shamed in the media

I started going grey about 20 years and still to this day get asked why I don't dye it and get jokes made at my expense, doesn't bother me one bit. I used to be trim(is) and now am about 15stone and get 'those' comments about how I've changed and put weight on(with a mocking smile),it just doesn't bother me

"I was the one who made the point about make-up. Honestly, I can't even be bothered with this. Shave, don't shave, buy from Office, don't buy from Office - who cares?"

Some of us do- some of us don't. If you don't, then why post? Unless it's to laugh at the funny feminists...........

Yes, if you don't care, then just hope you or your daughter never get sent home from work losing a day's pay for not wearing the right shoes.

"I've seen men being shamed in the media" - it happens yeh, much more rarely though, and the bar for men is lower. They have to be properly completely fat / dirty / shabby to catch the press's attention. (They're obviously allowed to be bald, grey, hairy, have a few wrinkles)

Plenty of fat ugly men in the media- which is right. It should be what you know not what you look like.

Women? Well, there are fat ugly women in the media. But very few of them and usually in positions where their fat ugliness is a "thing".

I do think it's odd that feminists are fair game, but if a feminist is ever anything but "meek as milk" as my granny used to say, then they get stomped on.

Shave your legs you hairy mare lol

Vriksasana,dis said shoes go against company dress policy?

MrJones They were flat black ballet pumps. The company tried to insist she go out and buy alternative shoes with at least a 4 inch heel.

That's just wrong. It has got to be said that sort of view and behaviour towards woman is just ridiculous, well unless you living during the reign of Henry VIII

I do think it's odd that feminists are fair game, but if a feminist is ever anything but "meek as milk" as my granny used to say, then they get stomped on.

Yes because heaven forbid a woman should be even slightly strident about their views. Funny how people never criticize men for fighting for their beliefs, however aggressively

Well yeah, the thread is full of people saying 'overthinking' or 'women love shaving' but if you try to discuss that, apparently you are 'judgemental' and want everyone to behave in a certain way.

Er no.

YANBU, it's very bigoted marketing.