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Why do women shave legs and underarms?

kenny

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
34,339
Why remove what is natural?
I think there are countries where they don''t bother.

Do you not bother?
Do you know any women who don''t bother?
 

Why man shave their face or cut their hair?


Aesthetics, feel more comfortable and clean.


I''m sure my DH enjoys smoothie legs as much as I enjoy smoothie face on him

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Date: 6/1/2010 2:18:43 PM
Author: gaby06

Why man shave their face or cut their hair?



Aesthetics, feel more comfortable and clean.



I'm sure my DH enjoys smoothie legs as much as I enjoy smoothie face on him

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Ditto. To me, it looks, and FEELS, better (to me, not just to DH!).

I do not mind if DH has a couple days stubble (indeed kind of like it)....but I don't like (what I consider) excessive facial hair or excessive body hair on men either!

And yes, I do know women who do not bother (or who are opposed to doing so....since I think some women do not bother for stretches of time!). I am not one of them.
 

Isn't it obvious?



It takes me 40mins minimum to wash, dry and style my hair (head). DH insists I get rid of the rest of my hair on my body just so that I do not spend anymore time in the bathroom styling hair.

 
I get the underarms; smell and all that.

I do not get the legs and wish I didn''t have to bother!

I don''t know anyone that doesn''t bother.
 
Just like women don''t really like (and might even despise) hairy men, most men don''t like hairy women. In this culture.

I don''t personally advocate the Smooth As A Newborn wax job; I think that''s going a little far. And I hate pain.

But excessive hair on women in Western cultures is seen as bad hygiene, not just as unattractive. It''s the ''ick'' factor. And no one wants a guy to think ''ick''.
 
smoothie body, indeed
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Date: 6/1/2010 2:28:33 PM
Author: HollyS
I don''t personally advocate the Smooth As A Newborn wax job; I think that''s going a little far. And I hate pain.
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ITA. I''m all for keeping neat and tidy, but I would worry about a man that wants my down there parts to look like they did when I was 12.
 
My Dad''s sisters who are of
French decent never shaved.
I grew up seeing them in freshly laundered
sleeveless summer dresses with dark forests
growing under each arm. Yet they always seemed the
epitome of cleanliness.

While my head hair is luxuriant I have very little body hair.
I was allowed to shave to the knee in my teens.
The hair that grew back is black while the hair above my knees
remains blonde. If I don''t shave it looks like ants marching
in precision. But I only have about three underarm hairs so most
of the time I don''t bother.
 
it''s a cleanliness thong for me, which makes no sense as men don''t shave and i don''t assume they''re dirty.

my sister doesn''t shave. she used to, years ago, but thinks it''s a waste of time i guess.
 
It''s mostly cleanliness for me. In the case of the legs, I like knowing there won''t be visible hair in the summer. I must confess that I"m guilty of not shaving my legs regularly in winter though. I''m always in pants or jeans riding horses, there is no point really... no one sees my legs... other than SO.. and he doesn''t mind b/c he gets that it''s a pain to have to do it three times a week. So I mainly do that part spring, summer and fall.
 
I honestly do it for me. My leg hair is pretty much transparent, so I can go weeks without people noticing. I get stubbly, but DH can't tell the difference between freshly shaven and more than one week after shaving (I don't know how he can't tell, but he'll honestly ask me if I've just shaved when it's been over a week). I can certainly tell though, and when I'm wearing shorts or skirts I just like the feel of freshly shaved legs. I still only do it once a week or twice a week, but I love how it feels the day I do it.
 
Why do men manscape?
 
I don't 'have' to shave my legs because I have so little leg hair. I 'do' shave my legs because I prefer the feeling of freshly shaven legs. Even though you can't see it, I can feel it.

I shave my arm pits because I don't care for the look of hairy arm pits and I agree, it can enhance one's natural odor, an odor I prefer not to smell.

As for the nether regions, I think it's actually pretty suggestive to wear a bathing suit and have hair sticking out every which way. I'd rather not advertise like that. I also prefer the look of being neatly trimmed and TBH, while it's rare that i'm smooth as a baby's butt, when I am it feels great (though the week after is hell).

So it's a mixture of reasons. And yes, society's expectations do play a definite role in this as does my husband's preference...
 
I can''t imagine not shaving. I''d feel gross and dirty. I love having smooth legs, and hairy arm pits?? Nope no way.
 
Date: 6/1/2010 3:36:36 PM
Author: Kaleigh
I can''t imagine not shaving. I''d feel gross and dirty. I love having smooth legs, and hairy arm pits?? Nope no way.
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Agree.

"Why remove what''s natural?"
Why keep what is pointless??? We have clothing now, we aren''t covered with fur anymore. That''s why.
 
i''m not a very hairy person- my armpit hair is somewhat sparse, and my leg hair grows in patches. i do it not only because i love the feel of really smooth legs, but because even tho my hair is pretty light, it still looks funny just growing in patches.
 
Origin-wise, this article might be of assistance.

In modernity? Well, I shave because it''s the norm, and it''s not enough of a hot-button topic for me to really care. In the great game of picking my battles, I''ll fight the fat-is-a-feminist-issue and the men-should-wear-skirts, no-one-should-wear-shorts aesthetics fights first. My best friend eschews shaving most of the time, though: she has thicker follicles, and it''s uncomfortable and a source of ingrown hairs for her, so she doesn''t bother. And you know what? She''s hot as hell.
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Date: 6/1/2010 3:33:34 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk

As for the nether regions, I think it''s actually pretty suggestive to wear a bathing suit and have hair sticking out every which way. I''d rather not advertise like that. I also prefer the look of being neatly trimmed and TBH, while it''s rare that i''m smooth as a baby''s butt, when I am it feels great (though the week after is hell).
Click to expand...

Just to play devil''s advocate ... isn''t this more a problem with the way swimsuits are cut? I can''t recall the last time I saw a dude, even a dude in a Speedo, wearing a suit that necessitated the application of wax where the sun don''t shine ....
 
Thanks for the link Circe.
I should have guessed it was companies with a new product to sell (razors in the 1910s) that brainwashed us into feeling disgusted by what is natural.

After a few generations the corporate advertising brainwashing campaign is virtually 100% successful.
 
Date: 6/1/2010 3:59:35 PM
Author: Circe
Date: 6/1/2010 3:33:34 PM

Author: Hudson_Hawk


As for the nether regions, I think it''s actually pretty suggestive to wear a bathing suit and have hair sticking out every which way. I''d rather not advertise like that. I also prefer the look of being neatly trimmed and TBH, while it''s rare that i''m smooth as a baby''s butt, when I am it feels great (though the week after is hell).
Click to expand...


Just to play devil''s advocate ... isn''t this more a problem with the way swimsuits are cut? I can''t recall the last time I saw a dude, even a dude in a Speedo, wearing a suit that necessitated the application of wax where the sun don''t shine ....
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yeah but what girl wants THAT tan line
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Date: 6/1/2010 4:16:02 PM
Author: dragonfly411
Date: 6/1/2010 3:59:35 PM

yeah but what girl wants THAT tan line

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Which one - the tushie tan line? Curiously, that doesn''t bother me. But I can''t wear a bikini because those weird little triangles on the ladies drive me nuts!
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Date: 6/1/2010 3:03:55 PM
Author: KimberlyH
it''s a cleanliness thong for me, which makes no sense as men don''t shave and i don''t assume they''re dirty.

my sister doesn''t shave. she used to, years ago, but thinks it''s a waste of time i guess.
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Now that''s a funny slip up!
 
Date: 6/1/2010 4:04:06 PM
Author: kenny
Thanks for the link Circe.

I should have guessed it was companies with a new product to sell (razors in the 1910s) that brainwashed us into feeling disgusted by what is natural.
Click to expand...

My pleasure. :)

Isn''t it always the case, though? I''m hard-put to think of anything looks/ hygiene oriented (or, "hygiene" oriented - feminine hygiene products, I am looking at you) in contemporary society that isn''t capitalized on by capitalism. The only one I can think of off the bat is circumcision, and that''s religious in origin ....
 
I know it''s a societal norm thing, and many people don''t conform.... But I do. My legs and underarms are shaved, and other things are always neat and trim. It makes me feel clean and fresh, not to mention helps cut down on BO stink!!! It freaks me out when I see unshaven women, but it''s just because i''m not used to seeing it. Nothing against those people....
 
Date: 6/1/2010 4:33:16 PM
Author: Tuckins1
I know it''s a societal norm thing, and many people don''t conform.... But I do. My legs and underarms are shaved, and other things are always neat and trim. It makes me feel clean and fresh, not to mention helps cut down on BO stink!!! It freaks me out when I see unshaven women, but it''s just because i''m not used to seeing it. Nothing against those people....
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Isn''t that something of an over reaction, though? I can understand personal preference and esthetic choices, but freaking out over someone else''s choices, that doesn''t have the least impact on you, is too much. Would you say this about other choices (tattoos, dreadlocks, etc), providing that personal hygiene is maintained?
 
Cultural conditioning.
 
It itches on my pant legs
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And chafes under the arms. Plus it feels really gross during sexy time.
 
Lady Disdain - she pointed out that it was because she wasn''t used to it, vs. disliking the choice.

I am pretty shocked when I see people with 60% body coverage of tattoos as well... nothing against them... but it''s not something you see normally you know?
 
Date: 6/1/2010 5:05:23 PM
Author: dragonfly411
Lady Disdain - she pointed out that it was because she wasn''t used to it, vs. disliking the choice.

I am pretty shocked when I see people with 60% body coverage of tattoos as well... nothing against them... but it''s not something you see normally you know?
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Perhaps it is just a linguistic difference, but "freaking out", to me, implies a much strong and more noticible reaction than merely "strangeness", which is why I commented on it.
 
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