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

It's one thing to not give a crap about how women are treated in the media and advertising; but to scoff at women who notice this shit and try to do something to improve things for the next generation for is pretty hard to read.

Hear bloody hear.

I also thought microsoft office.

It is shit and sexist

TBH, the amount of energy that goes into telling women that they should think less is somewhat disturbing.

Loved the comment by pp that the appropriate response to something offensive is to be offended.

Good grief, how do we go from shaving your legs to body shaming.

Shave your legs, your back, your torso, or don't, really who cares aside from your partner. Men are told to trim their nose and ears, I haven't seen anyone having a tantrum about it.

It's not a modern thing for fashion to dictate some things, some very odd, but you are free to ignore them completely. Is anyone really going to have a meltdown because of the "pressure" to have smooth legs?

That email assumes that all women are shaving their legs, their logic was probably -- women buying summer shoes = women probably wearing summer clothes. Women's summer clothes = skirts, no tights, shorts and dresses. Women's unshaved legs + summer clothes = eughhhh gross! Let's do them a friendly favour and remind them to shave those legs and they'll thank us by purchasing our shoes.. Or something.

I'm off to Spain in August and several threads on here at the moment have made me realises how much fucking effort (and money) I'm expected to put in, just to lie around a fucking pool or on a beach without being looked at like I'm some kind of yeti. I'm very "low maintenance too" but I'm beginning to resent it. I've been asked if I've got my new clothes yet, I've been asked if I've booked my hair appointment yet, if I'm doing gym classes to tone up ready, if I'm getting my nails done and then there's the crime of having a bit of body hair so that's should be plucked, waxed or whatever. That's just other people going on holiday asking. The marketing adds to it. Dh gets to just pack his stuff and he's ready. Nobody has asked him if he's had his nuts waxed, what clothing he's bought, how he's getting his hair cut, etc etc.

I'll shave my legs, I'll shave my armpits, I'll trim my fanny, not because I want to, or I like how it feels, but because I know from the one occasion I didn't do this stuff and wore a bikini I was laughed at as I walked past. A few days hair growth on legs and pits was enough to get me gawped at so I'll do it because I don't want that again.

Men are told to trim their nose and ears

When they buy shoes?

I haven't seen anyone having a tantrum about it

So anyone who identifies and objects to everyday sexism is 'having a tantrum'? Seriously?

I was initially thinking this is all a bit petty. But now I realise I think you are right OP. Suppose a woman doesn't want to shave her legs? So many taglines are about making women feel less than good about themselves, people saying "oh just unscubscribe" doesn't resolve the ongoing, day to day sexism of it all

I got an email from Wowcher last year they were selling bedding with the tagline "these throws just ain't loyal. Im not prudish but I didn't like that, its unseemly. Why choose a derogatory phrase about women, put a twist on it and make that part of your advertising? In fact, why women at all? I didnt even look at the bedding but I did send an email (which I didnt get a reply to) about the unpleasantness of this particular ad campaign

There's so much out there women are not "supposed" to be offended by

Also, dd (11) wants to shave her legs and pits because she doesn't want to be laughed at. She said she hasnt seen anybody get laughed at for body hair but that she'd rather remove it before it happens. I don't know what to do, I really don't, I don't want her laughed or feeling self conscious but I don't want her to feel she should change how she is to look better for others..

Also agree it is #everydaysexism

Young men (and maybe less young) are told they should shave their chest, because (apparently) young girls "don't like hair".

I wish people could stop with labeling everything they disagree as "sexism" attacks.

I got emails about fake tan. I don't like fake tan, I don't want to colour my skin, I like my natural skin colour. I am a grown up, I understand that companies sell a lot of fake tan and are simply trying to sell some more, I just delete the damn thing, and really cannot see why I should get offended and start a rant about it. Maybe I should ask for compensation, attacking my skin colour.. let me see, what could that mean? sexism (I am female), racism? Anything else?

"Young men (and maybe less young) are told they should shave their chest, because (apparently) young girls "don't like hair".

What, when they buy shoes?

Well said WomanActually the expectations on women are just so unfair and it takes a lot of guts to go against them.

and what about the expectations on men? Are they fair?

Men! You look shit in our hats when you are badly groomed!
Never going to happen.

Women shaming is shit, and its shit to see how many people here are either defending it or think its nothing.

I wonder if they tell their female employees to shave. wear 5 types of make up and high heels as well?

Women get loads more of this than men, but yes men get it too, from the same people probably. men should be masculine, women feminine, and should do whatever is acceptable at this point in time to be that way. 100 years ago it was wear a long dress and a fancy hat. Suit and hat for men. Now it's wear a short skirt and shave your legs, with a fancy haircut. Gel and shit for men.

Same old crap, just a different era. Stereotypes for both sexes. For one thing, it suits the razor companies (and shoe companies) to tell us what to wear/do.

£10 to the charity of your choice if you can come up with a single similar piece of advertising targeted at men.

www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/marketers-promise-make-you-muscle-man-149138

www.haystackonline.com/agencies/the-minimart/work/215902/milk-for-real-men/

s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/12/a4/27/12a4275327c2f92d096ec4f05649d46c.jpg

s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/cf/49/03/cf490355722eb23b6b9c14243ef910c8.jpg

s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/c0/f1/f6/c0f1f6ef6ddf0b7534b91cd6d31b2e57.jpg

Ah, right. I suspected you didn't understand the issue.

Some women, honestly.. can't you have a conversation without bringing men into it? Are you so man-focused that its actually difficult? OP's post isn't about men, or man shaming, is it? Its about casual everyday sexism, don't deflect it with your "won't somebody pleeeeez think of the men?" silliness

If you can't un-fuddle enough to do that, at least try some direct "opposition". Women asked to shave their legs when buying summer shoes. Are men asked the same, do Office put this out to male buyers?

No, they don't

Its not rocket science

If you start to ring the "sexism" bell, then be consistent. I am trying to explain to you why I can't see any sexism or body-shaming in the light-hearted email the OP received.

Women shave their legs, their armpits, men shave their face. Good grief, if you want to be hairy, go for it. It's embarrassing how low and weak some people sound, because they are women so they are made under pressure.

Such things wouldn't happen if I was a man.

Ahem.. yes, they would. They do. I am trying to find somewhere on the internet where they complain about it though.

Ffs shark you really are obtuse aren't you?

Do you really genuinely believe that men are subjected to the same kind and level of sexism that women are, but that just nobody complains about it?

Well, I have sons who are becoming young men, so I can see the pressure they could be under if they were not comfortable in their skin. It's naive and easy to believe girls are the only target.

I can see differences between men and women. Yes, don't forget to shave your legs. (still cannot figure out where you get body-shaming from that). Moan about the freedom of going to work in a skirt or capri pants and bare legs, whilst the men are stuck with shoes/socks and long trousers. So unfair, we should all be made to wear the same clothes, and we should become robots. Let's all grow a moustache and be equal.

Sexism because of a light hearted advert talking about the obvious, ie the majority of women shave their legs. Seriously, are people genuinely offended?