бирть или не брить?
Apr. 21st, 2004 12:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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springwater
Joelle Cornier
To Shave Or Not To Shave
Why do women shave???
I don’t shave my legs as often as my husband would probably like and I admit there are times when I don't like the look of my hairy legs myself. Although, I believe that is due to a lifetime of training and encoding. I would guesstimate that I spend approximately .5% of my time thinking about my leg warmers. Had I never started shaving in the first place the hair wouldn’t be as rough or uncomfortable – but someone, somewhere said women should shave their legs and so we did. It’s another one of America’s many great customs. What I don’t understand is why, if it’s so damn wonderful to have hairless, smooth legs – why don’t men shave theirs???
When I asked my husband why he didn’t shave his legs he answered, “Uhhhhh…because I’m a guy.” When I asked him why I shaved mine he said, “I don’t know – probably because back in the 1800’s women started showing their legs off.” I decided not to go there – but believe it or not, he did end up making a point. Because men are naturally hairier, it would be unpractical to expect men to shave their whole body every day. Since it would look odd to have hair covering your whole body – except for your legs. And because most men get re-growth within hours, they’d have to shave every day. Following this same reasoning, since most women don’t have hair all over their bodies it would look odd to have hairy legs when the rest of the body is smooth and hairless.
Still – that doesn’t really explain why women shave. After all, who decides what looks odd and what doesn’t? I personally think it looks odd to have hair on your ass! But I don’t expect my husband to go shave his. I figure it’s there for a reason. Besides most guys have hairy rumps. I’m sure if we started seeing more male actors baring their buns on the big screen, and women started commenting on how nice a smooth hairless ass looked, men might start shaving their buttocks. Ten years from now, some guy somewhere will be laying in bed with his girlfriend, and ask, “Why do I shave my ass?” His girlfriend will respond, “Because back in the late 1990’s men started showing off their butts.”
And excuse me, but just because women wear skirts doesn’t mean they are showing off their legs anymore than men do when they wear shorts. Yet no one would raise an eyebrow if they saw a group of men walking by with shorts on and hairy legs! But if you took a group of women in skirts with hairy legs - not only would it raise eyebrows, it'd have a lot of people thinking, "Look - a bunch of lesbians!"
So why is it different for women?
I asked my husband if he’d care if I stopped shaving my legs. He replied “Looking at hairy legs isn’t a turn on.” The conversation ended when I replied, “Well, looking at a hairy ass isn’t a turn on either!”
So, basically all I could come up with is...women put up with the nicks and cuts and hassle of shaving because... men find it a turn on.
Of course, not all women shave. I remember a girl, wearing a short sleeveless baby doll dress, that had come in the thrift store I worked at when I was 18 or 19. She had bright red hair and hadn’t shaved her legs or underarms. I didn't turn my head with dismay - instead I admired her and thought she was beautiful! I envied her self esteem - her bravery. I know it sounds dumb to say a woman is brave for not shaving and going out in public - but WOULD YOU? Even as I write this, I can’t help but find the hairy patches covering my legs somewhat repulsive. At the same time I’m disappointed that I can be so easily brainwashed.
If you are a woman who doesn’t shave – and I don’t mean just in the wintertime - email me! I’d like to hear from you!
UPDATE:
After writing this article I decided to see how long I could go without shaving my legs. As the days passed, a new sense of womanhood started to stir in me. I excitedly told many of my female cohorts, and mother, of my new found liberation. I was shocked at their response. I hadn't realized that we as women have been so brainwashed into thinking that what we read and see in Cosmo is what is considered feminine. So until beauty rags start running ads with models exposing their hairy legs it'll never be fashionable or womanly.
If a woman has hairy legs people say "She's letting herself go. She should take better care of herself." (or the even more presumptuous "she must be a lesbian!")
Whattheflyingfuckever! That reminds me of all the comments I'd get over my pale skin. "Oh, you poor thing - don't you eat? You look so unhealthy. You need to go out in the sun more. Get some color in your skin. You look like you're at death's door."
Oh yeah, exactly what I needed - soak up some cancerous sun and eventually get some of the oh so fashionable and healthy looking age spots and wrinkles!!!
Sadly, I did start shaving again. But only occasionally - when I feel like it. It's not just an automatic brainless reaction now when I'm taking a shower. Most times I decide not to, but there are times when my legs start to itch from the scratchy mounds of hair - and I shave it all off. I never did stop shaving my underarms though and I doubt I ever will, only because I swear that makes my armpits stink more when I sweat! And of course I tend the patch in the middle for those times when my husband wants a snack! ;)
springwaterJoelle Cornier
To Shave Or Not To Shave
Why do women shave???
I don’t shave my legs as often as my husband would probably like and I admit there are times when I don't like the look of my hairy legs myself. Although, I believe that is due to a lifetime of training and encoding. I would guesstimate that I spend approximately .5% of my time thinking about my leg warmers. Had I never started shaving in the first place the hair wouldn’t be as rough or uncomfortable – but someone, somewhere said women should shave their legs and so we did. It’s another one of America’s many great customs. What I don’t understand is why, if it’s so damn wonderful to have hairless, smooth legs – why don’t men shave theirs???
When I asked my husband why he didn’t shave his legs he answered, “Uhhhhh…because I’m a guy.” When I asked him why I shaved mine he said, “I don’t know – probably because back in the 1800’s women started showing their legs off.” I decided not to go there – but believe it or not, he did end up making a point. Because men are naturally hairier, it would be unpractical to expect men to shave their whole body every day. Since it would look odd to have hair covering your whole body – except for your legs. And because most men get re-growth within hours, they’d have to shave every day. Following this same reasoning, since most women don’t have hair all over their bodies it would look odd to have hairy legs when the rest of the body is smooth and hairless.
Still – that doesn’t really explain why women shave. After all, who decides what looks odd and what doesn’t? I personally think it looks odd to have hair on your ass! But I don’t expect my husband to go shave his. I figure it’s there for a reason. Besides most guys have hairy rumps. I’m sure if we started seeing more male actors baring their buns on the big screen, and women started commenting on how nice a smooth hairless ass looked, men might start shaving their buttocks. Ten years from now, some guy somewhere will be laying in bed with his girlfriend, and ask, “Why do I shave my ass?” His girlfriend will respond, “Because back in the late 1990’s men started showing off their butts.”
And excuse me, but just because women wear skirts doesn’t mean they are showing off their legs anymore than men do when they wear shorts. Yet no one would raise an eyebrow if they saw a group of men walking by with shorts on and hairy legs! But if you took a group of women in skirts with hairy legs - not only would it raise eyebrows, it'd have a lot of people thinking, "Look - a bunch of lesbians!"
So why is it different for women?
I asked my husband if he’d care if I stopped shaving my legs. He replied “Looking at hairy legs isn’t a turn on.” The conversation ended when I replied, “Well, looking at a hairy ass isn’t a turn on either!”
So, basically all I could come up with is...women put up with the nicks and cuts and hassle of shaving because... men find it a turn on.
Of course, not all women shave. I remember a girl, wearing a short sleeveless baby doll dress, that had come in the thrift store I worked at when I was 18 or 19. She had bright red hair and hadn’t shaved her legs or underarms. I didn't turn my head with dismay - instead I admired her and thought she was beautiful! I envied her self esteem - her bravery. I know it sounds dumb to say a woman is brave for not shaving and going out in public - but WOULD YOU? Even as I write this, I can’t help but find the hairy patches covering my legs somewhat repulsive. At the same time I’m disappointed that I can be so easily brainwashed.
If you are a woman who doesn’t shave – and I don’t mean just in the wintertime - email me! I’d like to hear from you!
UPDATE:
After writing this article I decided to see how long I could go without shaving my legs. As the days passed, a new sense of womanhood started to stir in me. I excitedly told many of my female cohorts, and mother, of my new found liberation. I was shocked at their response. I hadn't realized that we as women have been so brainwashed into thinking that what we read and see in Cosmo is what is considered feminine. So until beauty rags start running ads with models exposing their hairy legs it'll never be fashionable or womanly.
If a woman has hairy legs people say "She's letting herself go. She should take better care of herself." (or the even more presumptuous "she must be a lesbian!")
Whattheflyingfuckever! That reminds me of all the comments I'd get over my pale skin. "Oh, you poor thing - don't you eat? You look so unhealthy. You need to go out in the sun more. Get some color in your skin. You look like you're at death's door."
Oh yeah, exactly what I needed - soak up some cancerous sun and eventually get some of the oh so fashionable and healthy looking age spots and wrinkles!!!
Sadly, I did start shaving again. But only occasionally - when I feel like it. It's not just an automatic brainless reaction now when I'm taking a shower. Most times I decide not to, but there are times when my legs start to itch from the scratchy mounds of hair - and I shave it all off. I never did stop shaving my underarms though and I doubt I ever will, only because I swear that makes my armpits stink more when I sweat! And of course I tend the patch in the middle for those times when my husband wants a snack! ;)
а при чём тут Джулия Робертс вообще?
Date: 2004-04-21 03:53 am (UTC)какой нервный, в самом деле
Date: 2004-04-21 04:04 am (UTC)и не понимаю, почему такая фотография вызывает у тебя столь болезненную реакцию. надо полагать, в баню ты не ходишь.
чтобы несовершенные человеческие тела не оскорбляли твой утончённый вкус...
прям как Венеция.
Re: какой нервный, в самом деле
Date: 2004-04-21 07:10 am (UTC)Ну, если по телевизору публично рекламируются ЖЕНСКИЕ бритвы, то мне, наверное, не грех порассуждать публично, нужны ли они лично мне...
Re: Здря :)
Date: 2004-04-21 07:17 am (UTC)Спрос на эти бритвы (и вообще тенденцию обезволошивания женских ног) искусственно создают производители бритв и потребители женской красоты, а так женщинам это сто лет не надо было бы.
Re: Хехе
Date: 2004-04-22 06:35 am (UTC)Re: Хехе
Date: 2004-04-22 07:20 am (UTC)Я знаю, что лично я не Клаудия Шиффер, но я ведь и не снимаюсь в таком виде. А девушке (или фотографу) просто не хватило соображения спрятать проблемные части тела или задрапировать их куда-нибудь. Я понимаю, что ради сермяжной правды (Да! у меня мозолистые ступни и натруженные руки! принимайте меня такой, какая я есть) надо фотографироваться, ничего не скрывая, но тогда можно и ноги не брить... по-моему, неухоженные ступни и небритые ноги это явления примерно одного плана. Насчёт жил на руках (именно жилы, а не вены просвечивают, это бы ладно), ну там девушка не виновата, но если мы делаем красивенькую картинку, а не реалистический фоторепортаж на тему "нет косточки неломаной, нет жилочки нетянутой, кровинки нет непорченой" - тогда проблемные части надо стыдливо прятать, да-с...
Re: Хехе
Date: 2004-04-22 07:44 am (UTC)Re: Хехе
Re: какой нервный, в самом деле
Date: 2004-04-21 07:12 am (UTC)А ещё по телевизору рекламируют презервативы... это вообще уже тошно подумать, в каком контексте их будут применять... Такого насмотришься, пожалуй, сразу расстанешься с только что съеденным завтраком...