Maggie John
What even is a hairy girl? That’s the first question we should be asking, and a question I wish someone had asked me years ago. Surely, we are all hairy, although some are hairier than others, but as much as we like it or loathe it, body hair is part of being human. It is most certainly something we should embrace rather than feel embarrassed about.
Coming to terms with being a ‘hairy girl’
As somebody on the hairier side of the spectrum, I spent the majority of my teenage years resenting the dark hairs which crawled up my arms and down my legs. It’s taken me a very, very long time to get here and I’m not sure I’ll ever be fully comfortable with it, but I’m finally coming to terms with being a “hairy girl”. I spent far too long believing I was ugly, unworthy and unlovable because I had darker and thicker hair. Even writing those words makes me cringe. Because, I’m ashamed that I thought so little of myself, but these deep-rooted ideas haven’t come from nowhere.
A tale as old as time
There are some arguments which suggest the removal of female body hair is a tale as old as time. During the Renaissance period, hairlessness was regarded as a marker of social status. However, it’s important to remember the patriarchal influence which completely controlled societies. It’s unlikely that women were choosing to remove their body hair during this period, and more likely that men were forcing them to.
However, it wasn’t until the early 1900s that society really started to push the notion that women were hairless, and Gillette marketed the first ever ‘female razor’, of which one million were sold by 1917. According to Allure, it wasn’t until the 70s that body hair became “a badge of feminism”.
“women will spend around £23,000 on hair removal over the course of their life”
I don’t oppose women removing their body hair whatsoever. I remove my body hair. As long as it’s the choice of the woman, that’s all that matters. However, what I am opposed to, is women feeling like they have to remove their body hair because the process is not necessary or glamorous. It’s time-consuming, itchy, and expensive. It has been suggested that women will spend around £23,000 on hair removal over the course of their life; just think what else could be done with that money!
Coming to terms with my body hair
The insecurity I struggled with as a teenager would sometimes send me spiralling. It has taken me a very long time to come to terms with my body hair, and even now inklings of that insecurity persist. For example, I completely adore the sea, but the prospect of summer approaching – along with swimming costumes and sandals – would terrify me.
What if someone noticed I had hair on my toes? What if I missed a bit of hair on the back of my thighs? What would boys think of me? I am the hairiest person on earth. Now I realise, NO ONE CARES.
“have you ever noticed how hairy your friend’s arms are?”
Trust me, I know how annoying it is to be told something like that because our heads are convincing us that everyone cares, but ask yourself: have you ever noticed how hairy your friend’s arms are? Have you chosen not to be friends with someone because they have hairy arms? Of course not.
We do have the power
At the end of the day, we are our own worst enemies, which isn’t helped by the perpetuation of female beauty standards by those so desperate to maintain patriarchal structures. However, we do have the power. The power to embrace ourselves, and to love our true selves. Hairy or not.
If you’re still struggling to believe me, as I most likely would have done in years gone by, think about Julia Roberts at the 1999 Notting Hill premiere. Did you notice her hairy armpits? Probably not. But, did you notice her beauty and confidence? Definitely. And you will have the same response if you look at Beth Ditto or Sheerah Ravindren on Instagram.
“Hair on your body is as normal as hair on your head.”
In a way, this article is almost a letter to my younger self. I hope I’ve written something that 14, 17, or 19-year-old Maggie would like to have read.
The hair on your body is as normal as the hair on your head. It’s time we treat it that way. You can keep it long, or cut it short. You could shave it off, or leave it how it is. The decision is yours, and yours alone to make. Nobody else has a say in the matter, and it certainly doesn’t have anything to do with your self-worth.
You’re beautiful.
Featured image courtesy of Helen Barth on Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
