Anyone else hate the expectation to shave down there?

[BearDownThere]

Is anyone else fed up of the expectation/strong preference for going completely shave pubic hair? I’m female and have only had male partners, but prepared to believe women have this expectation too if others have experienced it. I mean each to their own, but personally I find it feels child-like. Has anyone managed to find a compromise with their partner on this?

YABU- It’s nice to do things for your partner

YANBU-my hair my choice

Gosh. I've never removed pubic hair other than a tidy up at the top of my legs. Never had a comment.

I've always shaved the lot since it started to grow in but haven't felt pressured to by anyone else. I can't tolerate the feel of coarse hair down there and never have been able to. Men do seem to prefer it, I've had comments on how they like it, but I do it mainly for myself. I don't think it looks childlike as my figure is clearly that of an adult female. On men I prefer trimmed.

I think it’s age dependent. I’m 50. It wasn’t the norm when I was younger. It became fashionable due to porn.

neatly trimmed bush is the norm amongst my peers from what I glimpse in changing rooms.

Eew! I find the idea of shaving off my pubes revolting! I like my pubic hair just as it comes.

If all women stopped shaving and plucking and waxing and whatnot, no woman would ever feel pressured to cater to the male gaze.

Women who do are basically scabbing for the patriarchy.

YANBU
However I have never in my life experienced this. I am only in my 30s and have had many sexual partners. Mostly male and a couple female.. not one single one of them has ever made any comment on my pubic hair. And my pubic hair has been long but neat most of my adult life bar one experiment when I was 18 and waxed it.. hated how it looked and felt so never did it again.
So I'm not sure how much pressure or expectation there is in reality.. unless you do sex work..
And I believe there probably are people out there who have pubic hair preferences and maybe they put pressure on people... but I just don't believe it's the majority.

Anaesthetist so see about 5 naked people most days. Most people don't shave

I do nothing to mine bar trim it up a bit and shave bikini line if I'm going to be in a swimming costume. Mid-winter it is allowed to grow freely.

Have not experienced this (im 39). I don't bother shaving it except a tiny bit at the edges because i swim & don't like hair sticking out the sides of my swimsuit.

I don’t like to shave. My DH doesn’t care.
I think a lot of trends are changing, my DD and most of her friends don’t shave anything, legs under arms. The next gen seem to a lot smarter and just laugh at the thought of removing hair because a man might prefer it.

The skin around my pubic region is far too sensitive for shaving or waxing. Absolutely no chance it would leave anything but a raw red mess. Not attractive.

Oh I like the lot off - feel cleaner and yeah I just prefer it. But I don't do it weekly or anything and it grows and then when I feel uncomfortable I shave it all off again. DH prefers it - a coincidence and maybe just because he's used to me doing it. Do it for myself only lol

I used to trim in my 20s and shave the bikini line. It’s been a long time since I bothered though. Life’s too short. Unlike my pubes 😂

I've been single for so long it's a forest down there!

I'd expect to wax though when getting back into the dating scene

Will no-one mention the regrowth?

Plus, I have regular colposcopies and chat to my gynaecologist and her nurse about pubic hair grooming practices of the 'yoof', I was told that a young woman once cancelled her hospital gynae appointment because she couldn't get to her beautician for a full pubic wax! Madness...

Also I'm at a gym where people change very openly in the ladies/wander round with not much on, ive never seen anyone with the lot off. I live in south east, naice commuter town.

Does it not come back itchy? You can't shave it every day - surely??? I find this very stressful that someone might expect this. Life is hard enough.

my DD and most of her friends don’t shave anything, legs under arms. The next gen seem to a lot smarter and just laugh at the thought of removing hair because a man might prefer it. yeah ive noticed this. Teens don't seem bothered about hair on their legs.

Providing the patriarchy also shave their balls, I'm happy to scab.

Nope. I have a full bush down there. Would never shave it. I trim it once in a while and that’s it

Dd is starting to grow and I’ve told her it’s always her choice with what she does

I have a proper bush and I’m 40. I rarely shave my legs and armpits either. My DH doesn’t care at all and previous partners who told me what to do with my own body hair were dumped quickly.

Literally never felt the pressure to do that. Where are you feeling this pressure from?

I use hair removal cream and it doesn’t come back itchy. I also use a great brand called Oyo, lovely oil and cleanser which keeps my skin lovely and soft/razor bump free.

There’s a few of us (definitely the minority!) on this thread that have stated their preference for being totally hair free down there, and how we do it as it’s genuinely our own personal preference, not for men. Yet there’s still a few other commenters implying they don’t believe this and think we still do it for society (even though, no one from “society” sees my privates), and for men, and because it’s a “trend.” I didn’t realise it would be that hard to believe that everyone has different preferences!

I'm 44 and have never shaved. My husband has never suggested I should and if he did I'd tell him to fuck off.

Been with my DH 20 years and he’s never pressured for anything. I don’t shave mine, just trim, I hate the feeling of it growing back when shaved so don’t.