Resisting femininity experiment - who's in?

[sethstarkaddersmackerel]

I was thought-provoked by the 'I'm a feminist but....' thread, particularly Dittany's posts, in which she talked about women who choose not to 'perform femininity'.

I posted on the other thread that I hugely object to all that bikini-line business but do still shave my legs. Am not sure why I do this, so I think I'm going to stop and see how it feels. It felt like a major issue when I was 20 or so but I actually suspect not shaving them now would make me feel more, rather than less, confident.

So I wondered if anyone else was thinking about giving up any beauty practices or other elements of compulsory femininity and would like to do it together and see how it feels.

this is not a competition - if you decide after a day you hate it and can't live without it, fine, but it would be really interesting to hear about, and I think it could advance our understanding of how this all works.

anyone else in?

btw, I am in a vile mood today so if anyone wants to come along to the thread and tell us we are just falling into the trap of thinking all feminists have to have hairy legs, or that actually they wax everything and are a still better feminist than meeeee, I will tell them to fuck off because if you don't 'get' this I can't be bothered explaining, either you get it or you don't

please do. You clearly neither get it nor agree. This is up to you but we have made it quite clear this is a support thread for people who are involved in this.
We are not barging into the Project Princess thread posting rude comments.

dittany, where do you get this inner hate from ?

I haven't told you to do anything, in fact quite the opposite has occured here, you are telling me I don't get it.

Gosh, our mere existence is very threatening to people who are too lazy to read, isn't it?

so who thinks Proud2B should start with The Beauty Myth and who thinks Living Dolls or The Equality Illusion would be better as it puts it into more of a context?

does anyone think The Female Eunuch would be a better place for her to start - Greer is always good fun, after all. Or would The Whole Woman be better as it's more recent?

Well I have Living Dolls coming from Amazon later this week so I'm happy to read it alongside Proud2b if he/she wants to discuss it with someone

LoL @ dittany asking and answering your own question.

You really don't get it do you. You couldn't do as you suggest because making yourself look good in whatever way you wish to for yourself isn't self defeating, its empowering.

If you really do think making yourself look like the rear end of a Yeti is liberating and empowering then fine, I wouldn't dream of telling you you are wrong, so please afford me the same grace and don't tell me I'm wrong for doing what I do.

Ignoring the empty vessel, I'm with you on pubic hair. The reaction to the idea of not waxing/shaving on threads here has made me realise how extreme things have become. We're heading into a reverse Ruskin scenario.

The Whole Woman is probably best then, because the distinction between female and feminine is really important in this context.

If you'd read the thread, Proud2bFeminine , you'd see that no-one is telling anyone to do anything. Apart from suggesting that you trot off back to the Princess thread. Which is just kindly advice, really, because you'd probably be much happier there.

The idea that some of us don't really care about one of those three tools must be a little annoying

You are giving yourself far to much credit, it doesn't bother me one jot. All you have done is prove you are doing it to be reactionary, which in turn means its self defeating because you are allowing yourself to be controlled by the very thing you are rebelling against.

dittany, I like your idea that Proud2bFeminine has chosen that name in response to this thread. It means our thread is making some people think, even if in a knee-jerk reactionary sort of way. Even that sort of reaction is better than people just carrying on as before without even noticing there is an alternative.

I find this thread interesting.

I usually shave, but equally, sometimes leave it for ages (haven't bothered to my legs for....about a month). I know my Dh does not notice or care if I do.

So I can go for ages without doing anything much, then suddenly feel like doing it (if I have the time and inclination).

Same with sexy underwear or big white knickers, make up, styling my hair or leaving it to dry randomly. I very much do or don't, but never feel I must. I did school pick up yesterday with skirt and unshaved legs, I just wanted to feel the air on my skin (spring!).

I am a feminist. I am not against feminity "rituals" as in my view, grooming can be about taking care of yourself, and therefor can be a positive thing.