From a young age, women are taught that they shouldn’t leave the house without perfectly shaved legs and underarms. For some reason being hairy is seen as unattractive, unhygienic and embarrassing, but why is this the case?

When did it all start?

This ideal of the hairless female body has been around for thousands of years. Looking at some renaissance paintings such as the Venus, who is supposed to be the epitome of female beauty, she herself is hairless in her legs and pubic area. It was around this time that women’s bodies were given certain ideals, whether in sculptures or paintings.

Why is this ideal still around today?

Today we are still pressured by society, the media, and even other women because of the belief that men will find us less attractive if we are hairy. It has now become an intrinsic part of living in the modern world, where women are hyper-focused on being hairless. Even fashion has helped to promote this as shirts, dresses, and shorts get shorter and shorter.

Another thing that may be getting in the way of society accepting hairy women is that being hairy is associated with being a man. A woman with hair then gets labeled as being too masculine and not feminine enough, even though being a woman comes with naturally growing hair.

What can we do to change this?

What some people don’t realise is that shaving on a regular basis actually costs you time and money. So whether you go for a wax every few weeks or buy shaving products to use in your own home, it’s going to cost you. So doesn’t it make logical sense to cut that out if you want to save on both?

If women decide not to shave, it’s not always that they’re making a political statement or because they’re feminists. Some women don’t shave because it’s just too much of a hassle. But if we want this perspective to change, then we need to talk about it. Talk about why people automatically relate being hairless to being attractive.

Talk about how having hair doesn’t make you any less feminine or beautiful. Talk about how a woman’s body is their own and that if they want to grow out their hair, it isn’t our place to judge. The more we talk about these issues, the closer we get to changing the way we all think about them.

At the end of the day, you are allowed to do whatever you want to your own body. People, please stop policing women’s body hair!