Today I shaved my legs. Why? Because I wanted to? Not quite.
Because society expects me to. Because if I don't I am labelled 'gross', 'unattractive' and 'unfeminine'.
I could of course leave the hairs on my legs to grow ten miles long, because I'm a lesbian.
And lesbians don't shave their legs do they?
Yes, they do actually.
By shaving my legs I am giving into the patriarchal expectations set upon me by society but I am also kicking the myths about lesbians in the face.
I shave my legs because I want to. Not because I'm a lesbian, not because I'm forced to by society.
However a lot of women do shave their legs because society forces them to.
Turn on your TV and you will discover adverts upon adverts of women smiling as they lather their legs in foam and shave. Every beauty magazine drills it into us that smooth legs are sexy legs. Hairy legs are manly legs. Hairy underarms are for lesbians (and the French) and a hairy 'down there' means you aren't getting any.
But do I want to shave my legs because to me personally it feels nicer? Yes. But is this belief merely a delusion conjured up by societies pressures?
I want to shave my legs, for me, because the media has made me believe I will feel better in myself if I have shaved legs.
Yes, I have written the words 'shaved' and 'legs' too much and they are starting to sound weird in your mind.
Yes, I will continue shaving my legs. But I'm still unsure why.
I've seen adverts for epilady (think that's the right spelling) where the woman is smiling as they use it. Having used one out of curiosity I can honestly say she would not be smiling. She would be cursing and turning the air blue.
ReplyDeleteI thought most people shave because smooth skin feels nice to touch.. For example I shave my face as Mel likes the smooth skin, and Mel vice versa though on her legs not her face. And because they feel nice to her.
Though with guys it's more ambiguous, you see adverts with smooth skin is sexy, stubble is sexy and trimmed beards are sexy... the castaway full on beard not so much.
Yeah that's true. It is nice to touch and feels nicer personally. I know my post is kinda ambiguous. I have an epilady and yes I don't smile when I used it, I curse!
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