Hairy legs

[ailbhe]

It's summer! Out come skirts! And ankles.

It's easy to be feministy about my legs in winter, but in summer, or when I have bad PMS, I get all nnnnn about them. I don't like shaved legs, I don't like the way they feel, I hate the way my stubble grows faster than fairies faster than witches, I hate the pain of waxing, I hate the stinging of swimming after waxing, I hate that none of it is free, hate hate hate.

But in summer - or when I'm ovulating - I feel all frumpy and unfeminine and hairy.

Comments

[beaq.livejournal.com]

Mhm.

[ai731.livejournal.com]

Yeah, me too. Exactly.

[caerleon.livejournal.com]

what's wrong with hairy legs?..

[kcobweb.livejournal.com]

I have never been so into shaving that I get all uptight about my legs. I've waxed them before, or shaved haphazardly (and very occasionally) and just not shaven at all. I have relatively little leg hair, luckily. My current mode is to shave when I notice them - maybe every few weeks - and then do a halfway job and call it good. I just can't be bothered more often than that.

I agree with you that I don't like the way shaved legs feel - or *look*.

[beaq.livejournal.com]

I think it might be different when you have plenty of leg hair and have been (and still are) an object of public ridicule when you let that fact be known.

[kcobweb.livejournal.com]

Oh, definitely. I recognize that I have it easy - and I still have very mixed feelings about the whole process.

[aquaeri.livejournal.com]

I know where you're coming from. It sucks. We're mammals. Mammals have hair, even the females. Why is it so hard to be a hairy female human?

[hobbitbabe.livejournal.com]

Do waxed legs look or feel different from shaved ones?

When I didn't do anything to mine for most of a year, I was disappointed that they didn't end up looking uniformly hairy like men's legs. Instead I had long black hairs with lots of white skin visible, not a continuous pelt, and I didn't like the look of it.

[beaq.livejournal.com]

People. Can't live with 'em, can't tear their leg hairs out by the ...

Oh, wait.

[tiggsybabes.livejournal.com]

I've caved in & shaved mine now they are out properly. I hadn't done it for Centreparces & realised on the first day that I was the only woman in the pool with long, black hairs in my legs. I felt more comfortable to shave them off. Where are the blonde fine ones of my teenage years?! :/ One of my friends who is a few years older than me has never shaved hers & still has those fine, blonde ones.

[random-c.livejournal.com]

I'm lucky, in that waxing doesn't hurt me, and the plucked-chicken look goes away faster the more often I do it. I do my armpits and undercarriage as well, that stings a little, but the legs I just get a fairly pleasant tingle. It does tend to leave the skin a little dry, but I think that's actually just that I notice it more than when they're hairy.
Shaving I hate because I have stubble from the moment the blade touches my leg, even if I use one of those mens razors designed to cut wire wool with several hundred blades. Creams I hate because they're even less effective and leave me feeling like I've just poured a foul-smelling caustic cream on my legs. Oh hang on, I have. Awful, soapy feeling to the skin.
The main problem with the waxing for me - aside from it being sticky, which is mostly a cause of flail while doing the, er, more foldy bits, is that it tears off what hint of a tan I've managed to obtain.

[juliet]

I've taken to a depilator, which may or may not hurt more than waxing, but seems to be less hassle.

A couple of years ago I stopped dehairing (legs & underarms) altogether for about 18 months, because I'd always said "yes, dehairing, patriarchy, but actually I just prefer them hairfree". And I wanted to find out whether that was actually *true*.

Which it is, sort of, but only because it makes me uncomfortable to stand out against the expectations of hair-free women. (I'm very dark-haired, so my leg hair *really* shows.) I finally gave up a while after getting yelled at on the street by some kids :-/

The upside was that I have become more relaxed about a bit of hair & don't bother shaving/depilating all that often. The sort-of upside is that I'm clearer now that my comfort levels *are* partly dictated by existing in a patriarchal society (I mean, obviously that sucks in various ways, but I prefer to be *aware* of these things).

It does bother me quite a lot.

[hilarityallen.livejournal.com]

I'm with you here; I can't wax because of my sensitive skin, and because I'm very short-sighted, when I shave I often miss bits. But I can't take the opprobrium from other people, even though I'm meant to be a hairy mammal.

[sidheag.livejournal.com]

With you - I have very dark, very strong hair which is happy to grow very long and look extremely conspicuous against my pale skin, and nothing but shaving works (anything else leaves me pulling them out one by one...), and I wish I didn't feel I had to if I were going to bare my legs, but I do :-(

[ailbhe]

My legs get visible black hair against pale skin 3-5 hours or 2 days after shaving or waxing. With me, it's all or nothin.

[ailbhe]

Yes; waxing makes me bleed a bit more, because my hair is serious. Also, stubble hurts, after shaving.

[ailbhe]

Mine were never shaved until they were coarse and dark. The idea that shaving makes you need to do shaving is nonsense. Genetics and societal expectations make you need to do shaving.

[tiggsybabes.livejournal.com]

I looked at dozens of women's legs in the swimming pool that afternoon of all ages & I was the only one with hairy legs, so, yup, it's society.

[cat63.livejournal.com]

I have very hairy legs and am far too lazy to shave/wax/whatever. No one has ever openly mocked me for this. If they ever do I shall tell them to fuck off.

[cat63.livejournal.com]

What's so unfeminine about hairy legs?

Admittedly mine are hairy because I'm lazy more than because I'm a feminist :-)

If you're more comfortable with non-hairy legs, fair enough, but if it's a question of what other people think you look like, provided you're not flashing, it's really none of their business. Bollocks to 'em.

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

I have mediumish leg hair - dark, but not thick, and I'm not pale - and it hasn't been shaved in a good few years. The first time I bring it out in the summer, I feel stand-out-y, but then I get over it, generally.

[juliet]

Actually, that's interesting: I have been openly mocked when I wasn't dehairing, and it did bother me. But if the same group of kids had yelled at me about something else (I dunno, my hair colour or whatever) I wouldn't have been remotely as concerned. Hm.

[the0lady.livejournal.com]

I don't hate myself with hairy legs. However I *adore* the wonderful silky smoothness of freshly shaved ones.

I use those Infinity shavers that are a razor embedded inside a block of soap-like substance that lubricates your skin as you shave. Not having to faff about with messy creams means that it takes all of 20 seconds per leg, standing right there in the shower - so a top-up every other day is not a huge drain on my time.

The best way I've found to avoid chicken skin is to exfoliate before shaving and disinfect with rubbing alcohol after, then immediately use lots of lotion to put the moisture back into the delicate layer of new skin you've exposed.

All very girly I know, but isn't it as much or less as men have to put up with every morning? I know not all of them shave, but the majority do, and also get haircuts much more often than we have to.

Am I a victim?

[naath.livejournal.com]

Hair's great! Love your hair! Don't listen to nasty people who tell you to take it all off (or, er, slap 'em in the face; er, well, *imagine* slapping 'em in the face - horrid people sticking over-large noses where they do not belong).

[sam-t.livejournal.com]

I have been, and with not terribly hairy legs, either. Good to know that this isn't the case for everyone.

It hasn't happened since I've been an adult, but then I haven't ventured out with visibly completely unshaven legs for years now. Imperfectly-shaven, yes, but even then I feel terribly self-conscious.

[mrs-warwick.livejournal.com]

I had a lot of abuse as a child for being hairy - being called 'werewolf' at the age of 9 takes a while to get over. So my compromise between 'society demands' and my principles is to shave occasionally and no higher than my knees.

[the0lady.livejournal.com]

That's poo! =( Anyway you're not hairy. I seen you in a bikini and everything.

[kathaleee4.livejournal.com]

I'm such a dork...

[cat63.livejournal.com]

On reflection, it occurs to me that as I have always been overweight, and wear glasses too, people have more obvious targets than hairy-leggedness if they want to mock me. But it's still none of their business anyway.

I was taught as a child that it's rude to comment on a person's appearance (except possibly to discreetly mention they have ketchup on their nose or something similar) other than positively.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Am I a victim?

I'm not the one you asked, but I wouldn't say so, since you shave your legs for your own pleasure. And if you're not telling women who don't shave that they are deficient, you're not a perpetrator either.

[supermouse.livejournal.com]

Now you mention it, nor would I. My shaven head I am prepared for comments on and don't much care about it. Unshaven legs, on the other hand, are shameful deep inside me. How weird.

I literally daren't go out with hairy legs on display. I just can't make myself do it. :0(.

[supermouse.livejournal.com]

I tried that, but the deep bloody marks where the hair was plucked out got more and more reddish-purple on each go, and it never got easier to do. I'm stuck with hairy legs.

I suppose I should go and find out if a salwaar kameez would be cultural appropriation, because that would solve everything. Pretty, summery clothes and no leg showing.

[supermouse.livejournal.com]

I dunno, but, daft as it is, while I'll not take flak for just about anything else, I daren't go out with my hairy legs showing.

[the0lady.livejournal.com]

OMG, how much do I love that icon?!?!1?

[ailbhe]

You shave as often as I need to wax to remain smooth-legged, for a start. I get five-o'clock stubble faster than Rob does, if he shaves his face at the same time I shave my legs.

Also, I hate the feeling of freshly-shaved legs.

[cat63.livejournal.com]

Mice are supposed to have hairy legs :-)

I didn't mesn to imply that there's anything wrong with depilating the legs if that's what you want to do, mind.

I'd consider it bad manners for other folk to comment on same, much less to give flak for it, but mileages vary, of course.

[supermouse.livejournal.com]

No, it came across fairly clearly that those who want to defuzz are welcome to, but that you personally feel better fuzzy.

I just feel sad about not daring to.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

I solve this problem by not looking at other womens' legs to see whether or not they're shaved.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Ain't nothin' wrong with us dorks.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I'd have to shave every single day if I shaved at all. I've pondered a waxing, here and there, but it's expensive. So I force others to suffer by making them look at my hairy legs. ;)

But then sometimes I'll notice some cute dress that would be just right if I had the right strappy sandals and were bare of leghair.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I really love the feeling of being freshly shaven where ever, but that goes away after not very long. Habitual shaving doesn't give me the feeling, it has to be very now-and-then, so I do it, sometimes, just for the contrast. Then I let the hair grow back. But deyo really hates stubble, so this only works if he isn't going to be around.

[(Anonymous)]

Wait 'til you reach the age when the hair starts growing on your chin! Then you really have to question your life-long 'non-hair-removal' stance! :*-(

Elaine xx

[cat63.livejournal.com]

I just feel sad about not daring to.

Perhaps you'll find, as I have, that as you get older, such things bother you less. I'm far more bolshie and rebellious now than I was when I was a teenager :-)

[merryhouse.livejournal.com]

What's so unfeminine about hairy legs?

Two options:

Lack of body hair is associated with childhood. In our patriarchal society women are expected in certain ways to remain child-like, eg not knowing about politics or money, not getting wrinkles or saggy breasts. The body hair issue is all about this infantilisation.

Lack of hair is associated with sensitivity - your fingertips, inner forearms, earlobes and so on. In our patriarchal society women are expected to be more tender and sensitive - and, indeed, do generally have less body hair - than men so the less body hair a woman has the more feminine she is perceived to be.

I prefer the second one as I think it makes it easier to assuage Feminist Guilt. ;-)

Mind you, I haven't actually dehaired anywhere since reading it. I just wear trousers or longish skirts and pretend it's not happening. Although, oddly enough, I don't have a problem going swimming. Admittedly most of our swimming is at a private health club, but Centerparcs and Haven Holidays didn't bother me either. Hmm.

[Fine but Very Definite hairs on very pale (redhead's) skin]

[flybabydizzy.livejournal.com]

I'm with you there, Elaine! After a while it became no contest. Good tweezers are such a boon, but other family members steal them!

I generally live in trousers or long skirts, in order not to need to shave. On the rare occasion I have to 'go smart', then I will shave, as I cant bear the feeling of leg hairs caught in tights. Underarm hair is a greater problem, as I feel it is difficult to have a quick freshen up while out during the day, so likely to be a smelly old so and so.

I don't shave

[alison.hemuk.myopenid.com (from livejournal.com)]

I don't particularly *like* the look of long dark hairs on my legs, but I absolutely fucking refuse to get rid of them completely. I'm not a prepubescent child, and I don't want to look like one. That said, I'd love it if they would stop growing at about 5mm, lol!

I might give them a trim now they're out for the summer - have been in skirts and shorts all week - but then again, I might not.

Underarms I trim occasionally in the summer, to feel less sweaty. But again, I refuse to remove it.

I'm trying not to think about the hairy chin stage ;-)

[ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com]

I have maybe half a dozen hairs on my face now.

Fortunately, they have gone grey (unlike most of my other head hair), so I get rid of them about once a week or so.

[ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com]

Post-menopause I have so few leg hairs that I actually do pluck the obvious ones, kind of absent-mindedly, more often than ever I shave.

For me it's about sensitivity, so I also pluck Elswhere from time to time.

Also for me, but I know this is true of many ofthers: it hurts less each time when done fairly regularly.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*blush* Thank you. clauclauclaudia made it.