Is pubic hair a feminist issue?

[Pipbin]

Sorry if this has been done to death already.

Following on from another thread elsewhere there seems to be a divide between women who do and don't remove their pubic hair.

Some women who don't do it see it as another form of control that men have over women. That women are removing all their hair to please men and because it is now being normalised.
The women who do do it do so because they want to and they like it.

So, is it a feminist issue? Should women be able to do what they chose or are women doing it because it's another form of control even if they are doing it through their own free choice?

Will also ask DD2 who is a midwife what % of the women she sees are 'bare' .Its fascinating how this has evolved.

And Peggy, the people talking like that to your DH would probably mock a woman with pubes coming out of her costume. And then they'd be part of the social pressure.

I think all but the most ardent waxer knocks it off in the last trimester...

I think pubic hair is a feminist issue.
Lots of brainwashing ads about 'beautiful legs/armpits' all hair free.

It is also now desirable to have no pores apparently.

Hairless , poreless, eternally youthful, plastic dollies we aspire to.

I don't remove my body hair, it is odour and moisture wicking, and gives a certain amount of protection.

Interesting discussion.
Have recently been reading a semi-related discussion on another forum, started by a guy who was getting back into the dating game, mid 30s.
The overwhelming advice was shave his pubes because "women don't like hair", "if you want oral sex you have to shave it", "it's more hygenic", etc.
It turned into a long discussion where almost 100% of the men under 30 shaved, waxed or whatever, their complete tackle because it was expected.
In my opinion that's getting worse! So in the past, the societal pressure was only on women, now it's on women and men - that's progress for you!

Well, no, progress would be toward a place where it simply didn't matter whether someone's body was as bald as a 7 year old's or furrier than a silverback.

Well yes, "that's progress!" for you was an ironic statement.
In addition to that, almost 100% of the men over about 40 ridiculed the idea of hair removal from thei privates, and the general opinion was the same for women i.e. men who though they should be hairless also thought women should be hairless. Men who thought shaving/waxing was ridiculous mostly (but not all) thought women should "tidy" at most.

I like men with pubic hair and prefer to have it myself. There is nothing sexy about stubble or folliculitis. Why is looking prepubertal sexy? I do do my armpits (sometimes) but that's quick and easy and shaving them has never given me folliculitis.

And lets be honest here mens bits are none to pretty. I like them being hidden under hair. Same goes for female genitals.

Agree pipbin. The plucked chicken look to nude male bits does nothing for me. My husband did it once as an experiment as he cycles a lot. He was disappointed I found it more funny than sexy.

(Pulls Buffy's hair and runs off sniggering...)

Seriously though, I never cease to be amazed at these people who live in a little hermetically sealed bubble claiming that the norms of the society in which they live don't affect them at all. Being bloody minded and reasonably resistant to social pressure is not the same thing as the absence of social pressure.

For example, I want to bring DS up to realise that the extent of women's grooming is a personal choice for the woman concerned and no-one else. For this reason, sometimes I dress up, sometimes I go swimming pit hair and all. But when I make the choice to swim with pit hair, I am aware that I may be pointed at, that some people may think I'm a dirty minger for doing so (and this is not my imagination - I've seen enough people on mumsnet say they would pass this judgement to know that it will be thought by a minority of people). Resisting that social pressure takes emotional energy, it takes headspace, it takes effort. You may think I'm weird for choosing to put this effort into something that you think is trivial - but I don't think it is. If I want to show DS that social norms are arbitrary, that they can be questioned, that women aren't just painted dolls... then I have to walk the walk. (And yes, he may well be excruciatingly embarrassed later - but hell, that's part of the job description of being a teenager ).

Say please, thankyou, bless you, I'm sorry for your loss?

Socialised, socialised, socialised.

Why would any man
Wish any woman
To appear pre-pubescent
Through her shaving her pudenda?

If a woman exercises her own personal choice to remove body hair it is nothing to do with anyone else, any more than a woman who choises to be hairy.

A body hair free adult woman certainly does not resemble a child (vulva, hips) any more than a man who shaves his face looks like a boy.

It was all a bit itchy on the face (heavens to Betsy)

Eye-wateringly funny chez Horse..

VG, Turnitin - it's each woman's choice.
I have a question - why would any man wish to have any woman appear pre-pubescent - by her shaving her pudenda?