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

Ha HA! See!

Shaving legs = utterly normal
Shaving fingers = deranged and bonkers

Why? There is no rhyme or reason! It's all made up by the fashion, grooming and advertising industries

As for my fingers? There's nothing exciting about them I'm not a hairy handed trucker.... I'm blonde and like many blondes am actually quite hairy although obviously you can't really see it. Hence I call it "fur" I have always been very fond of the fur on my arms, but thought it looked wrong under rings.... Still think it looks wrong TBH but that's just me isn't it! And I haven't shaved anything for about a month so it's not something I feel that strongly about

quite. . but.... but....
fingers? why?

No no arm hair is lovely warm and furry. It makes me happy.

Finger fur and feet fur is a different ball game.

Um, it's all very logical, honest

And yes, I take my rings off...

ROFL @ my furry arms being the straw that broke the camels back and killing the thread

i saw it as more evidence of the thread being required sq , but clearly everyone else has recoiled in horror and is at boots as we speak.

@ vision of entire contributor group of feminist section currently in boots, purchasing hair dye (natural look), razors (not pink) and anti-ageing cream (unperfumed organic range)

I exiled myself from this thread when I read Project Princess and ealised I was considering using eyelash serum even though on that thread it talks about how it can change the colour of your irises. :(

I also examined my fingers wondering if they were too hairy.

I am not worthy.

You are not my people.

:(

I was also interested when the reports of eyelash serum came out a few years back. My eyelashes are fine

In the past I have had them dyed, and even permed. Yes permed. I put myself forward to have strong chemicals applied in extreme close proximity to my eyes . I did it more than once . And had my eyelashes dyed loads of times even though it stings like an absolute bastard.

Come join the fold again unrulysun

OK :)

Dittany I was thinking about facial hair and wondering if it's in a slightly different category but then I realised I had no idea why?

I am very much aware that I will be happier with hairy legs, armpits, no make-up etc if I am two stone lighter. :(

now fair enough that's baby weight and therefore not yo yo dieting but still...

Thanks SaF :)

unrulysun, are you reading 'fat is a feminist issue' as well?

i spent an unnatural amount of time fixated on my extraordinarily flabby, dimpled, stretch-marked (and now wrinkled, yum) belly this morning after popping into the belly-dancing thread. hadn't looked at it for some time. in a very large and very well lit bathroom mirror (that came with the house - the bathroom i use normally has a teeny over the sink that i have to stand on my tiptoes to see into - i rarely look in the mirror at all before i leave the house).

i will not be told i must be skinny.

but i fear that as i can't afford any larger clothes, i must strive to contain myself within the ones that i currently own.

and no-one is getting me out of the comfortable shoes. no-one.

last summer my mother attempted to tell me i couldn't wear cropped trousers with green el naturalista clogs. pah.

has anyone vetoed the hair dye completely? i've sort of lost track. i fear this is my next move. i barely shave anyway. but my grey growing through makes me look bald, so i'm suspecting it might be time.

am not actually bald. (yet) but suspect i might be if i keep using hair dye.

I think you're right SAF. It's the things that people feel they need to do, that they have to do, that they aren't acceptable to the outside world without doing it, that are the problem.

An awful lot of women won't leave the house without full makeup which I find really sad.

a bloke would probably pull out a random long facial hair too, wouldn't he?

No I'm not reading it - just feeling it :)