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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

337 replies

AliceInWonderland3 · 05/06/2016 21:41

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 Angry

OP posts:
shazzarooney999 · 06/06/2016 20:11

seriously? i think you need to get a bit of a life old dear!

DustOffYourHighestHopes · 06/06/2016 20:13

YANBU

AugustaFinkNottle · 06/06/2016 20:14

Good grief, that email really is offensive. Show a little leg, there's a dear, but hide it away in shame and despair if you haven't shaved it first.

EveryoneElsie · 06/06/2016 20:19

sharknad0
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.

Who said that? Statistically half the parents here have sons. I cant see why you are dragging sons into this or making these bizarre accusations.

If you are concerned about the pressures men are under, do something about it.
But stop belittling other people for what they are concerned about and pretending your comments promote equality.

Zaurak · 06/06/2016 20:20

women shave their legs, their armpits, men shave their face

Not really the same thing though is it? Women don't general choose between styles of leg grooming. They don't think, ya know what? A knee goatee is in this season, gonna do me one of them...

Women shave because they are expected to do so Because men expect smooth. If they don't, they're shamed (remember the sheer horror the press reacted with to Julia Roberts' unshaven pits that time?)

Men shave because they want to. Or for fashion. The only time a man would be forced to shave would be for valid safety reasons - a North Sea technical diver probably doesn't get a good fit on a full face mask with a beard.

There are no emails going out to men with 'buy our new sunglasses! But ff said shave your your filthy fucking beard off or women won't shag you.'

BertrandRussell · 06/06/2016 20:29

Can somebody please link to a daily mail story ridiculing a man for not shaving his face before going out in public? Should be easy if there's,no difference between a woman shaving her armpits and a man shaving his face- there'll be loads of them.

EveryoneElsie · 06/06/2016 20:33

Gosh without the MRA's on MN setting me straight I'd be so deluded. Thanks guys!

Helmetbymidnight · 06/06/2016 20:38

How bizarre that all the people who think the op should be worrying about something else are here, on this thread, rather than saving the planet or something.

Ah op, it's fine, they sent out loads of those messages not just to you! Grin

SomeDyke · 06/06/2016 20:54

"Sexism because of a light hearted advert talking about the obvious, ie the majority of women shave their legs."

Only obvious because shows how pervasive it still is! Why do you think there is the oft-repeated trope about hairy-legged lesbians or hairy-legged feminists? It's not light hearted when 9 or 10 or 11 year olds are wanting to start shaving because they think they'll get laughed at if they don't, or when grown women have to trim and shave and wax and god knows what else before they go on holiday because they will get comments and stares if they don't. Whereas we have all seen that most men have no problems whatsoever turning up at the pool looking like sun-burnt, flabby yetis.

And the fact that someone selling you shoes thinks that reminding you of the desperate need to shave will increase their sales?

Shaving is not benign (have you seen what razors can do to someones legs!), nor is waxing, or plucking, or depilators, or lasers, or creams. A man with sensitive skin can at least grow a beard. The sheer number of types of products for hair removal for women tells you something is up. Oh, plus the fact they charge you more for making razors in pink!

Men's beards anyway, fashions change, from designer stubble to hipsters, and back again. But the fashion that women should be hairless never seems to change now that the majority of women in the UK use such products at least once a week (although less in France, anyone else remember the hairy armpits on the continent stuff from their schooldays, and how shocked some girls were when the exchange students came over?).

Helmetbymidnight · 06/06/2016 20:58

I am 'the mother of sons'. They didn't come home from school at age 7 saying they have been told they should not have hair on their legs.
Dd however does.

Bizarre that so many of you 'underthinkers' think this is a good thing.
Don't worry, I will sort out her hairy legs soon.

ExitPursuedByBear · 06/06/2016 21:00

Do they sell grips?

BertrandRussell · 06/06/2016 21:02

So depressing that "I am the mother of sons" seems to have become a synonym for "I am an anti feminist"........

AuntDotsie · 06/06/2016 21:02

I'm totally going to grow knee goatees now. And wax them to lovely points Grin

Zaurak · 06/06/2016 21:03

...sidles over, passes wax...

SkaterGrrrrl · 06/06/2016 21:08

YANBU.

Sexist Bullshit.

UnGoogleable · 06/06/2016 21:10

Oh I thought OP was going to say that her actual work office had told her to shave Grin

But no, YANBU to be pissed off that an advertising email presumes to tell you what to do with your own body hair. Just perpetuates the bloody stereotype.

I remember coming home from school mortified because some nasty boys made fun of my hairy legs. I was 11, and have fought a battle with despising my dark body hair ever since. It's shit.

sharknad0 · 06/06/2016 21:21

Most staff handbooks demand that facial hair are neatly trimmed. It's funny, I always thought it applies to men, but I am now looking forward to a warning given to a woman for not following the facial hair rules Grin

Is that what feminism is all about? Women shave their legs, (most) men don't. So what? I wear nail varnish on my toes, my husband doesn't. So what? Does it make any of us weaker than the other? Shaving is a sign of oppression? Talk about a storm in a tea cup.

This thread is hilarious, but mainly congratulations to Office for a great marketing line. Give it a few more posts and the DM article will turn up, all in all a great publicity for the brand.

Helmetbymidnight · 06/06/2016 21:24

Yawn

BertrandRussell · 06/06/2016 21:26

"Is that what feminism is all about?"

Nope. But have you heard that whooshing noise? It's the point zooming past your left ear......

marblestatue · 06/06/2016 21:30

I see they sell men's shoes as well. Wonder how many men got the email.

FeliciaJollygoodfellow · 06/06/2016 21:39

Have you ever seen a woman's leg with hair on it, in a magazine or on tv?

Even ads about shaving your legs shave a completely hairless leg!

Anyway, I don't know why I'm bothering.

marblestatue · 06/06/2016 21:41

Even ads about shaving your legs shave a completely hairless leg!

Ha ha! It really is that ridiculous, isn't it?

thelostboy · 06/06/2016 21:52

I'm a keen - male - cyclist.

Imagine the fun I'll have when I cycle into the female dominated office in the morning with stubbly calves. Blush

Just really can't be bothered tonight. They'll just have to deal with it!

abbieanders · 06/06/2016 22:03

Women shave their legs, (most) men don't. So what? I wear nail varnish on my toes, my husband doesn't. So what? Does it make any of us weaker than the other? Shaving is a sign of oppression? Talk about a storm in a tea cup.

This is performance art, right? Nobody could be genuinely this obtuse.

sharknad0 · 06/06/2016 22:08

It's the point zooming past your left ear......

You are very welcome to explain what your point really is, I would love to read it.