More about leg-shaving

After my previous post, I have been thinking a bit more of leg-shaving and whatnot.
I've read most of Femininity by Susan Brownmiller (I'm on the penultimate chapter).

And, now, I am going to muse about why women are expected to shave religiously, lest they be lepracised from the heteropatriarchal society for being too hairy.

Could it be simply be that the patriarchy hates women's bodies?

That seems too simple to me. There are other factors, after all.

Could it be just another constraint and form of control, under the pretext of femininity? In my mind, femininity is the socially constructed model of control over women, guidelines we must adher to. For femininity is all about contraints, all about compromises, all about submissiveness, all about accepting second class citizenship, and taking it all gracefully, sweetly.

Femininity ensures that we women are too wrapped up in the little, irrelevent and insignificant things in life, it ensures that we are vain and narcissistic, while men, being the *insert heavy sarcasm here* superior beings, are go-getters; they don't worry about insignificant, trivial things.

I mean, really. The beauty rituals of femininity. How fucking long do they take? How much time and energy, and money do they take? And we're victims of our self-esteem a lot of the time, if we adhere strictly to the rules of femininity. Even the most "confident" of women, if they're sticking to the rules of femininity, how bloody happy with themselves are they, truly? No, it is to the patriarchy's advantage that women are bound to Femininity, and that they ritualistically shave their legs, and revert their bodies to childhood.

Because, women and girls are just SO uncomfortable in their own skin. They really are. THAT'S why they shave. Because patriarchal ideology is so deep, so entrenched in their pysche, that is why they shave.
It's time consuming, but they shave. It can hurt, but they shave.

Because, the patriarchy hates women's bodies. And so, women hate their bodies. Sure they may be proud of their breasts, or their stomachs, or legs or whatever. But, as they shave, they are not rejoicing in their womanliness, they are conforming to femininity.

It takes guts to stand up to femininity. It's so entrenched in our pysche. It's hard making that decision to step outside the mainstream and not shave.

Some girls and women genuinely feel comfortable being hairless. But, I have to wonder, is that because that patriarchal ideology is so deeply entrenched? I think so.

But does any of this benefit the patriarchy?

Yes, I think it does.

Until women are free to CHOOSE to FEEL however the fuck they want, without fear of being stigmatised, without patriarchal pressure, we are still NOT liberated.
I believe that simple everyday rituals, such as female body hair removal, are indicative of an unequal society. It reflects of the compromises women have to make, what they have to do to conform. It smacks of the patriarchy's hatred of women's bodies.

Leg shaving is reflective of an unequal society. Because, the way we view male/female body hair is unequal, and it is gendered.
Biologically, both sexes produce body hair.
According to gender rules, body hair is only acceptable on one gender.
Some girls argue that they shave because bodyhair is unnecessary. We don't need it anymore.
Well, if that is true for girls, what use does it have for males?

A rant about leg shaving

I'm back from Hamburg now, and so here's a new post...

Over in Hamburg, it came into conversation with my friend Paul, that I hadn't shaved my legs, or applied any other hair removal method to my legs, since November. Paul seemed shocked, and I detected a hint of disgust and sneering in his voice when he asked if it was part of a "feminist protest".

My refusal to shave is partly due to laziness on my part, and partly due to my resentment of patriarchal pressure to de-nude my legs, and to go against their natural perogative to grow hair. If I am to shave again, it will bloody well be on MY terms, and FUCK whatever anyone else thinks about the hairy state of my legs.

He went on: "But don't you prefer the feel of freshly shaved legs".
I replied: "Actually I like the feel when they're hairy."
(It's true, I do. I like stroking them. I was, in fact, admiring the hair for quite a while yesterday.)

I wish I could have been a bit more articulate, but often, I think of the best things to say too late after the matter.

So, Paul - and other males who may think to ask women who don't shave if they prefer the feeling of shaved legs and whatnot - Don't YOU prefer to feel your legs after they've just shaved?
No - you don't shave your legs?
But, it feels so nice to have shaved legs!
Why don't you shave YOUR legs?

You know what it is, don't you? It's called double standards.
Yes, yes, yes, I know, I know, men often shave their faces, and some men are beginning shave, even wax other areas. Well good for bloody you, mate.
Women are expected to shave/wax/whatever their underarms, their mons, their legs, and any other area where it is deemed socially unacceptable to have hair there.

For fuck's sake, it is WOMANLY to have hair there. Sure, it's not FEMININE, but femininity is socially constructed, as is masculinity.
Body hair is NATURAL.
And why is it that society hates female body hair so much? It's just as natural as male body hair, which is often seen as a sign of virility, and manliness. It's seen as disgusting, revolting, repulsive for a woman to have body hair.

That's called double standards, you fuckers.

I love my body. I love my stretch marks along my hips from when they widened (haven't got pregnant and given birth, I swear! :P), I love my belly - yes, it's a belly, not a toned, slim stomach - I love my body hair, especially on my legs. My body is in pretty much a natural state. Sure, every so often I might use a touch of hair removal cream on my armpits (which is pretty ineffectual to be honest but meh), but, other than that, there are NO hair removal processes going on.

You know, a few weeks ago, I was going out with some mates, and I was going to wear a dress. I considered shaving my hair off, but I actually couldn't go through with it. I'm damn proud of my leg hair. Maybe I will one day shave, but it will be on MY terms, like I said.