For many of us, removing our body hair is a real nuisance. Whether it's our armpits, legs, or other more intimate parts of our body - it's just time-consuming and for very little gain. So much so that some of us are deciding to ditch the razors in favour of body hair acceptance.
In fact, VT spoke with someone who has been on their own journey with their body hair - and honestly, it might just make you rethink your own fuzz.
Roxy S. of Hamburg, Germany, tells VT that growing out their body hair was an “important step” into their “queerness” and on their “journey to coming out as non-binary.”
Roxy said: “It had a lot to do with finding out who I really was and not who society wanted me to be.”
As a non-binary person, Roxy’s relationship with their body hair had an extra layer of complexity.
In growing out their body hair, Roxy felt they were essentially pushing back against “gender norms put on AFAB [Assigned Female At Birth] people.”
They explained: “Growing out my body hair and presenting more ‘male’ was a big step in my self-discovery.”
For those of us who identify as women, choosing to leave the little hairs on our body exactly as they are is perhaps less about presenting in a more “masculine” way and more about redefining what it means to be feminine.
And then there are those of us who just don't want to spend any amount of time and energy painstakingly grooming ourselves for other people. If you’re in any need of a reminder - life is short!
The thing about hair removal - regardless of gender - is that the results don't last long at all. Body hair grows back annoyingly quick - almost like it's supposed to be there.
And yet, as much as we tell ourselves that it is inherently natural, many of us can't help but feel that there are hairs that just don't belong on our body.
In fact, for a long time, Roxy - a medical assistant at a pediatric ENT practice - also spent time shaving their armpits and waxing their legs and vulva.
They explained: “In the past, from the age of 13 to 23, I used to shave my armpits almost every day and wax my legs and pubic area every three to four weeks.”
Roxy, who also works as a nanny, didn’t suddenly make a snap decision to stop their daily grooming habits - it was a gradual journey.
They told VT: “It started slowly in my early twenties (around 2012), that I’d skip removing my leg hair for longer periods. My armpits joined around 2015 and my vulva shortly after. So I grew everything out by 2016.”
Roxy added: “Now, I don’t remove any body hair at all. My legs, armpits, and vulva have fully outgrown hair. I do trim it slightly from time to time around my vulva.”
But don’t mistake Roxy’s message, choosing to shave or wax can indeed be a feminist act - if it is something you’re doing for you and only you.
They explained: “I think it’s a very personal matter and depends on the person. For some, it might be extremely empowering to be their most femme self, no body hair, full make-up, with a pretty dress and high heels.
“Others need to actively go against those gender norms. For me, it was a first step not constantly trying to please the male gaze.”
But while it’s important not to target those assigned female at birth who choose to present themselves in a way that society deems “feminine” - it’s equally important to respect others who do not conform to society’s often restrictive expectations.
Unfortunately, though, Roxy, who regularly participates in feminist protests and shares activist content, has had their fair share of negative comments directed at them due to their body hair.
They even recalled being referred to as “dirty”, “nasty” and “gross” by trolls on social media.
Roxy explained that some women have been “quite hostile” towards them, adding that they also receive a number of “yucky” messages from men fetishising them. Some of these men had gone on to send them unsolicited pics.
They explained: “In person, it’s mostly looks I’m getting. People rarely dare to say stuff like that to my face. It has happened though on occasion.”
Evidently, we haven’t quite reached a point in society where each and every individual can exist just as they are without being shamed for it.
But if people like Roxy can change a mind or two about our bizarre repulsion for body hair - we’re going in the right direction.
Connect with Roxy (@scissortree) on Instagram.
