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Cafe Politico
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I'll be honest- the whole societal fascination with not having any pubic hair (for women) has always disturbed me a little bit because I wondered if it had anything to do with making women sexually look more like pre-pubescent girls. Don't get me wrong- I am not trying to be judgmental and I tend to have a "whatever gets you through the night" attitude about these things.

But it does seems to me that the societal message in terms of "beauty" seems to be to go hairless -just look at any pic in playboy or a porn movie- not that that necessarily represents the "norm" or is the end all be all of what is in "style" if you want to call it that- and I wonder how it came to be that way and when?

I have actually talked to women who have been abused as children and *some* (I am certainly not generalizing here) of them have said that they refuse to shave even if their partners (male or female) find it more sexually attractive/arousing- they say it makes them feel like children and the sexual aspect of that makes them uncomfortable, which I totally understand.

Interesting post Liz, thanks.

I use the Bikini Zone stuff. It is AMAZING and so confortable to use. It works great! Here is their site-  http://www.bikinizone.com

Great post, Liz.

It really annoys me that I'm expected to pretend like I don't have hair in certain places but I don't like feeling unkempt so I pluck and shave and tweeze and wax. I'm considering laser hair removal. Has anyone tried that?

But I'm not talking about going completely hairless--I can feel plenty sexy with a moderate amount of hair. I just want to look decent in a swimming suit.

I get a standard bikini wax every so often, and it hurts. What does a brazilian feel like? I can't even imagine it. Ouch.

Man, the pressure to remove pubic hair annoys me so much that it inspired me to start an entire blog about it! The Campaign for Unshaved Snatch launched with Why the World Needs Pubic Hair on Oct. 19, 2005 at 10:20 pm EST. It is a topic that I return to again and again because it disturbs me so much that women are encouraged to remove their pubic hair and men are encouraged to find infantilized women sexy. I say it's time to take a stand for pubic hair! Resist the mass of hairless lemmings and join the Campaign! (Hopefully, I'll have Campaign stickers soon.)
Suzanne
Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS)& Other Rants

I keep it trimmed for swimsuit reasons, but I have not (or could not) go through with a wax of any kind...

From someone who's been around many men and women who have lost their hair for medical reasons...screw society. Do what makes YOU feel comfortable. Whether that's going bald, wearing a wig, shaving your remaining hair into a mohawk...what's important is that YOU are happy with the way you look.

Amanda Shaffer, Blogher Health and Wellness Contributing Editor

cancer. it's not just an astrological sign anymore.

Thanks for including your link!

Great comments, everyone. :)

I take no official political stance on the state of the carpet. Personally, I buzz it all off, but only because it annoys me when grown in. I can't imagine doing it for anyone but myself. The Remington Trim & Shape is my trusted tool of the trade, though I've used a bic once or twice in the past (I just hate the growing-in stage with that.) My sisters both wax, the thought of which leaves me huddled in the fetal position sucking my thumb.

For those who wince at the thought of waxing - I assure you, it is a walk in the park compared to other methods of hair removal. Because another perspective is - what about those who *have* to have some of their pubic / genital hair permanently removed? Having just gone through a year of genital electrolysis with that aim, believe me, waxing is nothing.

Anne, I can't comment about laser - I haven't had it - laser isn't yet guaranteed permanent, and I needed to be sure mine was permanently cleared.

Blog: Multidimensional.Me

Well, being male I don't think I'm really entitled to an opinion on pubic hair, and male standards are so two sided as to be ludicrous, but ... it's your hair. Health reasons aside I spent 13 years in the military defending your right to do with it what you will (wherever it is). :)

It was odd when I saw women in Europe who had unshaven legs wearing stockings. But a fair part of that (as I look back on it) was that it was so unusual back home. I don't think it made them less attractive (but then I'm something of an oddball anyway).

Jim Heivilin

You younger gals make me smile. Just wait until you are post-menopausal and your pubic hair begins a slow migration to your chin and upper lip. LOL As for me, I am clinging to what used to be a vigorous shrub and is now a kind of nostalgic lace. I say enjoy the secrecy that robust effusions of tendrils can communicate! Plus, there is the delicious sensation of that magic electric buzz when the right hand barely grazes....but I digress ::fanning self:::

Don't Shave It! Wave It!

Mata H
Time's Fool

Mata,

You just made my day with that! :)

But You're Innocent When You Dream...
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This is not a topic I had ever thought about until I was almost in college. The first time I trimmed, I felt like I was breaking some sacred rule about leaving "those bits" alone.

I've gone back and forth for a few years on this topic. I have always kept things "tidy", and shaved for bathing suit purposes. I went totally bare just once, to try it out, and wasn't impressed one way or the other. My better half doesn't have a preference as long as it's tidy enough that it doesn't resemble a rabid Fraggle.

During both pregnancies, I gave up on keeping any sort of order once I couldn't see to clean up any more. Once I got home from the hospital, I made a point to shave my wookie legs and trim a tidy mohawk, which keeps it neat without going for the prepuberty look. And the hubby seems to appreciate it. :)

Ah, Wilderness -- you curled in patches ,
and now you're being ripped from snatches!
The elegance you once did offer,
now contribute's to the Waxman's coffer.
Oh, bushy shrub of once-loved hair,
You've left us with pudendae bare.
Is this Fair Fashion's ironic jest --
To pluck from us this womanly zest?

Mata, that was wonderful! hehe :)

And for my final pubic hair shout out, I blogged about giving it the trim.

I only trim it during the summer if I wear a bikini and let it grow out in the winter.

I never knew that it was such a big thing to be bare until college. I tried it once, shaved it off, but I felt like a child and boy did it hurt growing back in! So never again. Luckily my husband thinks the shaved look is disturbing since it does make you look like a kid. I do keep it neat, especially in the summer for swim suit season, but that's all.

Alotta Errata : Living life one mistake at a time

There's an excellent discussion of this topic in the 'Masculinity Issue' of Bitch Magazine (#28). When I think about how pointless and extremely intense the depilation expectation is for women, it really actually pisses me off. Unless you have some kind of condition, it's entirely cosmetic, but if you don't shave (or whatever), some people act like you've neglected to wipe your ass.

I started shaving my pubes in my early teens, because that's what I thought you were supposed to do. Then my mom noticed I'd shaved my entire mons pubis - I was met with her barely-controllable laughter and the question: "What'd you do that for?" I didn't realize how silly it was until I heard myself say, "I thought I was supposed to."

Seriously, though - fuck shaving, and all forms of depilation. Black people (a lot of us, maybe most - I'm not sure) get ingrown hairs like crazy, and the "benefits" of shaving do not outweigh the discomfort in my case. The itching, the scarring, the gross puss-filled bumps... I used to try to do my legs, but I'd always leave patches of hair somewhere. Pubic hair removal gets the worst ingrown hairs - I decided when I was about 20 that g-strings just weren't a part of my world and bought myself a boy-cut bikini and was done with it.

I just put on a bathing suit for the first time since having a baby last year, and only when I pulled off my skirt to go into the water did I realize it was a classic cut. I looked down at the hair reaching out from beneath the lycra, paused for a moment and then I realized, 'Whatever. Fuck it, I'm going in and if people think it's gross, they can leave.' How often do I get out to the beach with my baby and friends? - the body I was born with is not going to shame me into not enjoying myself.

That's what I think.

Atena

Motherhood grows the mind... Radical parenting can save our species.

It's a personal choice I guess. I only shave or trim if I know I'm going to be wearing a bathing suit or bikini. Other than that, I like it natural... the way it's supposed to be.

Someone sent me this link the other day - I've been meaning to post it here for days. Be warned this video does contain full nudity - though nothing explicit.

As for my own pubic preference - that's for me and 'anyone who's lucky enough to get an invite' to find out!

Cx

Claire Raikes - Business Blog Angel
Coach, Consultant, Speaker and Writer
www.BusinessBlogAngel.com - Business Blogging Services

So is that video clip real or just comedy skit? So how does one get an invite?

I completely object to the removal of female pubic hair. Keeping it is a natural thing, just the way God intended. But my pubic hair preference isn't so much a theological issue as it is an aesthetic and sensual one. Women complain about men's facial stubble, well, it can go both ways! I'd much rather touch a soft love nest than a prickly porcupine. It's baffling why a sexy, mature woman would want to appear as a pre-pubescent girl, except only for the pressure her vaguely sick man places on her. There is no denying this trend is the brainchild of an increasing number of pedofile-like men who lust after increasingly younger women! There is nothing sexier in this world than a mature, experienced & confident woman who isn't afraid to fly her flag proudly! Go for it, girls!

It's not a societal issue, it's an *individual* issue.

Assuming that any one of you is only dating or married to one guy at a time, you only need to be concerned with what that one guy thinks. It doesn't matter if "society" says 'no hair' is attractive if what HE likes is lots of hair. Of course... now, you're thinking "What do *I* care if HE likes it or not? It's MY body!".....

Well... You have to consider that for the most part, men are VISUAL creatures. That's why porno is visual and has nothing to do with what a woman thinks or feels. There are lots of guys that will have nothing to do with you, physically, if they aren't visually turned on by you, whether that's pubic hair, hair on your head, body type, whatever. The choice you have to make (and hopefully, you're both on the same page) is whether you want to do what YOU want to do or whether you want your man to be physically attracted to you. Like I said... HOPEFULLY, your style matches his style and it's a very comfortable situation for the two of you.

If your tastes in this area don't match, and you choose your style over his, don't be surprised when he isn't interested in messing with you. OTOH, if you choose his style over yours, you should be receiving TANGIBLE BENEFITS from doing him that favor. :D "Oh, that looks nice, honey" isn't going to cut it. If he's not showing the proper appreciation for what you're doing for him, there's no reason for you to do it... AT ALL.

Of course, all of this should have been figured out before you got deeply involved with him... along with how many kids you expected to have, where you expected to live and how often you expected him to visit your relatives with you. I never considered the angle of "infantilization of women", so I have no current opinion on that. What I *DO* know is that there are lots of guys that won't go _anywhere_near_it_ unless it LOOKS proper by their own personal standards.

--
Bill Cammack
Video Editor
BillCammack.com

I think life would be a lot easier if body hair came back in style!

I am too broke to afford my waxing habit and too sensitive to tolerate stubble, so I've resolved to witness my natural beauty through a new, self-accepting lens.

Spirituality has GOT to start going somewhere!

http://www.saraswatispeaks.net

I think do it if you want, don't do it if you don't want to.

I have instructions on my blog for those who are interested.

My indie biz is Mama Specific Productions: Multi-media for Mothers & Kids

Thanks, everyone, for joining in the discussion. :)

Liz Rizzo

I blog at Everyday Goddess and On The Lot.