To Shave Or Not To Shave: Women’s Hairy Affair

Women are finally having their hairy self-discovery amidst the pandemic and are starting to embrace their bodies.
beauty · 4 min
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We, as a society, have upheld certain beauty standards as sacred, and the idea of women sans body hair is definitely one of them. From our parlor didi stripping us raw and harassing us for being hairy every month, to the constant battle of getting done the perfect eyebrows, it’s safe to say that this lockdown has seen some newly adopted beauty standards that are starkly different from our old ones.

“I think one thing that this lockdown has taught me, is how okay and normal it is to have hair on your body. I don’t rush to the parlor to get waxed every month now. Instead of feeling disgusted, I’ve started accepting my body hair. I don’t shave them off anymore just to look presentable for the society, I shave them because I CHOSE to do so consciously and to feel comfortable,” says Sana Arora, a 23-year-old consulting associate at EY, while explaining her pre-covid struggle to get waxed every month as to maintain her appearance in her office. 

Now that we don’t know what day of the week it is, and time has no meaning, our ‘get waxed’ date on the calendar has been happily skipped by so many of us for far too long now. Plus, when you’re in the middle of a pandemic and start to consider the important things that actually matter right now, body-hair maintenance doesn’t seem to be that high of a priority.

Riya Rajan, a 22-year-old student at Ambedkar University believes how it’s actually been quite fascinating and liberating to let her hair grow out. It has made her re-think how much time and effort she used to put into it, and how much she actually cares about it. “Instead of spending time shaving my body hair for nothing, I can happily say that I get to spend that time on so many other things that are actually important to me. I think post-pandemic when I start going out regularly, I’m going to feel a lot less pressured to shave it,” Rajan adds. 

This lockdown period has meant a lot of different things for different women. Now that all of us have had time to sit alone with our thoughts, and really look out for what we really want and what we feel comfortable in, it’s been a back-to-back abandoning of things that we were classically conditioned to opt for, but didn’t necessarily need. From the nightmarish underwire bras to our long makeup routines, women are finally leaving behind everything that they were ‘told by the society’ to do, to look prettier and more presentable, and instead of taking the narrative back in their hands. 

“Body hair was and is something I’ve always been conscious about. From uneasy looks on faces to being name called as a ‘bear’ in high school- such incidents aren’t easily forgotten, no matter how hard I try. A hint of hair on my arm used to make me rush to the parlor to get them waxed off. However, this lockdown has taught me to look at myself in a different light. I’m being kinder to myself, realizing that my body hair doesn’t define my prettiness. I guess now when I’ll shave, it will not be because I despise my body hair, but more just for myself,” says the 32-year-old Assistant consultant, Aditi Mittal from Delhi. 

The question is not about shaving your body hair or not, it’s about whether you’re choosing to do so or just doing it out of an obligation to look presentable in society. 

While having a conversation with Shuchita Jain, a 28-year-old Financial Analyst from Delhi, she explained to us how this lockdown made her realize her real reasons for getting waxed. “I always used to think that I used to wax purely for myself, but this lockdown made me come face to face with reality. Normally, I’d make sure that my hands and legs were waxed before a date and eyebrows perfectly threaded. It felt a little awkward to realize how I’ve been waxing to look a certain way for men or society and not myself. I mean I don’t really mind my body hair to be honest, but that was only when no one was looking,” she says.

It’s strange that it took a pandemic to finally make us realize that obsessing over our hairiness being exposed wasn’t adding any happiness to our life. But it has still been one small, positive thing to come out of this pandemic. Amidst everything going on, seeing that our hair hasn’t stopped growing is a reminder that we haven’t stopped growing either. Even though it seems like our life has been frozen or paused at the start of March, the constant hair growth serves as a reminder of the very real passage of time. 

With all the things that we’re leaving behind, it’s time we leave the societal expectations of women behind too.

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Opinions and Perspectives

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Mind-Body_Soul_101 commented Mind-Body_Soul_101 3 years ago

Each woman's story in this article feels so personal yet universal.

1
Naomi_Fantasy commented Naomi_Fantasy 3 years ago

This resonates with my own journey of self-acceptance.

3
RadiateHappiness commented RadiateHappiness 3 years ago

The pandemic helped us question so many societal norms.

2
Adele_Skies commented Adele_Skies 3 years ago

Finding peace with our natural bodies is revolutionary.

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AmeliaW commented AmeliaW 3 years ago

Such an important topic that affects so many women.

1
Mia-Jones commented Mia-Jones 3 years ago

The lockdown really challenged our beauty priorities.

5
Jade-Gallagher commented Jade-Gallagher 3 years ago

Starting to see similar discussions in my friend groups too.

5
Trend_Craze commented Trend_Craze 3 years ago

This conversation feels like a turning point in beauty standards.

3
Yoga-And_Chill_101 commented Yoga-And_Chill_101 3 years ago

Encouraging to see more women making conscious choices about their bodies.

7
Keira_Lantern commented Keira_Lantern 3 years ago

The financial and time savings are just bonus benefits of this mindset shift.

5
Style-Journal commented Style-Journal 3 years ago

Looking forward to seeing how these attitudes continue to evolve.

6
SarinaH commented SarinaH 3 years ago

These shared experiences make me feel less alone in this journey.

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Jade_Dreamer commented Jade_Dreamer 3 years ago

Still working on fully accepting my natural self.

1
Nora commented Nora 3 years ago

This topic deserves more attention in body positivity discussions.

4
Emerson-Reyes commented Emerson-Reyes 3 years ago

Just realized how much mental energy I used to spend on this.

0
LeilaniXO commented LeilaniXO 3 years ago

Love seeing these conversations becoming more mainstream.

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SelfLove_Workout_10 commented SelfLove_Workout_10 3 years ago

The pandemic really changed our relationship with our bodies.

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Jasmine_Love commented Jasmine_Love 3 years ago

Wish I had realized these things years ago.

3
DelilahL commented DelilahL 3 years ago

Each woman's journey with body hair is so unique and personal.

3
Trend_Designer commented Trend_Designer 3 years ago

Found myself nodding along to every woman's experience shared here.

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SoulAligned commented SoulAligned 3 years ago

More women need to read this and know they have choices.

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EsmeR commented EsmeR 3 years ago

The comfort versus societal expectations battle is real.

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WellnessVibes commented WellnessVibes 3 years ago

Amazing how a pandemic led to such personal revelations.

3
SimoneL commented SimoneL 3 years ago

This article reflects such an important cultural shift.

0
HarmonyM commented HarmonyM 3 years ago

Society's beauty standards have controlled us for too long.

5
Closet_Couture commented Closet_Couture 3 years ago

Finally feeling comfortable in my own skin, hair and all.

6
Declutter_And-Thrive commented Declutter_And-Thrive 3 years ago

Reading this made me reflect on my own hair removal choices.

0
BreatheAndBalance commented BreatheAndBalance 3 years ago

The emphasis on personal choice is crucial to this discussion.

6
Jillian-Hunt commented Jillian-Hunt 3 years ago

Wonder how many other beauty standards we'll question post-pandemic.

2
Balanced-Being_365 commented Balanced-Being_365 3 years ago

My perception of beauty has completely changed since lockdown.

1
GutHealth-Guru commented GutHealth-Guru 3 years ago

The article really captures the internal struggle many of us face.

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Elaine-Newton commented Elaine-Newton 3 years ago

This conversation needs to happen in schools too.

1
Giana-Peterson commented Giana-Peterson 3 years ago

Love that women are finally talking about this openly.

2
Brielle_Stardust commented Brielle_Stardust 3 years ago

Interesting to see how different age groups approach this topic.

6
Style-Snob_55 commented Style-Snob_55 3 years ago

The pressure from beauty standards affects our mental health more than we realize.

6
Daphne_Ford commented Daphne_Ford 3 years ago

Anyone else feel more connected to their natural body after lockdown?

8
Liana-Wright commented Liana-Wright 3 years ago

Beautiful how this article connects hair growth to personal growth.

3
PaisleyMae commented PaisleyMae 3 years ago

The pandemic changed so many perspectives about what really matters.

8
Trend_Setter commented Trend_Setter 4 years ago

It's empowering to see women making conscious choices rather than following norms blindly.

0
Nevaeh_K commented Nevaeh_K 4 years ago

I've noticed more women openly discussing body hair on social media lately.

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Mode_Maven commented Mode_Maven 4 years ago

The lockdown really showed us how many beauty routines we can live without.

0
ZenMasterMind commented ZenMasterMind 4 years ago

My confidence has actually increased since I stopped obsessing over body hair.

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Tatum_Sunset commented Tatum_Sunset 4 years ago

Wonder if this shift in attitude will influence future generations.

0
StyleIcon_55 commented StyleIcon_55 4 years ago

This reminds me of how much time I used to spend worrying about body hair.

7
YogaAndChill commented YogaAndChill 4 years ago

The cost savings mentioned in the comments are real. I've redirected that money to self-care.

5
Marley-Hudson commented Marley-Hudson 4 years ago

What surprises me is how many women continued hair removal even when no one was seeing them.

4
HazelDream commented HazelDream 4 years ago

Feeling seen by this article. The pressure to conform to beauty standards is exhausting.

2
Sarah commented Sarah 4 years ago

Really appreciate how this article emphasizes personal choice over societal pressure.

8
Lillian_Glow commented Lillian_Glow 4 years ago

The pandemic really highlighted how many of our grooming habits were for others.

7
Holistic_Glow_360 commented Holistic_Glow_360 4 years ago

Interesting how personal comfort levels vary so much among different women.

3
AryaLynn commented AryaLynn 4 years ago

I've started teaching my daughters that they have choices about their body hair.

0
RoseWaters commented RoseWaters 4 years ago

The mention of parlor didis giving judgmental looks is so relatable!

8
OliviaM commented OliviaM 4 years ago

Anyone else feel like they're still struggling with this despite understanding the societal pressure?

4
Body_And_Soul-Fit_777 commented Body_And_Soul-Fit_777 4 years ago

My relationship with my body hair has completely transformed since lockdown.

5
HappinessHacks commented HappinessHacks 4 years ago

I appreciate how the article highlights different perspectives without judgment.

3
PenelopeXO commented PenelopeXO 4 years ago

The liberation described by these women is powerful. Makes me question other beauty standards too.

1
Style_Flair commented Style_Flair 4 years ago

Would be interesting to see how men's grooming standards have changed during this time too.

7
Luxe-Charm commented Luxe-Charm 4 years ago

Amazing how a global crisis helped us question such deeply ingrained habits.

0
AmberGleam commented AmberGleam 4 years ago

The pressure starts so young. My niece is only 11 and already asking about hair removal.

6
Vogue_Lifestyle commented Vogue_Lifestyle 4 years ago

It's interesting how something as simple as body hair can carry so much social weight.

8
MiraX commented MiraX 4 years ago

I think we need more conversations like this in mainstream media.

8
MotivationDaily commented MotivationDaily 4 years ago

Love how this article addresses both physical and emotional aspects of body hair removal.

2
Edgy-Couture commented Edgy-Couture 4 years ago

The time saved from not having to maintain a hair-removal routine is incredible.

1
TaliaJ commented TaliaJ 4 years ago

Wondering how many women will maintain their lockdown attitudes now that things are opening up.

4
Outfit_Express commented Outfit_Express 4 years ago

The emphasis on personal choice rather than societal obligation is key here.

1
Paula-Duncan commented Paula-Duncan 4 years ago

I've noticed more diversity in how women present themselves post-pandemic.

3
DailyAffirmations commented DailyAffirmations 4 years ago

Does anyone else feel like social media still promotes unrealistic beauty standards?

8
Sasha_McCoy commented Sasha_McCoy 4 years ago

Sometimes I feel like we're replacing old beauty standards with new ones though.

1
SelfLoveWorkout commented SelfLoveWorkout 4 years ago

Reading about Aditi's experience makes me want to be kinder to myself too.

8
Norah_Bloom commented Norah_Bloom 4 years ago

The mental freedom from not obsessing over body hair is incredible.

5
SkylarJane commented SkylarJane 4 years ago

Proud of how far we've come in questioning these beauty norms, but we still have a long way to go.

2
Sabrina_Wonder commented Sabrina_Wonder 4 years ago

The financial aspect is significant. We spend so much money just to meet these arbitrary standards.

8
Jenna_Hope commented Jenna_Hope 4 years ago

I wish there had been articles like this when I was growing up.

1
YogaFlowDaily commented YogaFlowDaily 4 years ago

My partner actually prefers my natural look. Society had me thinking the opposite all along.

5
PositiveEnergyOnly commented PositiveEnergyOnly 4 years ago

It's refreshing to see more women speaking openly about this topic.

8
Statement_Styles commented Statement_Styles 4 years ago

Anyone else feel like they're swimming against the current when they choose not to remove body hair?

3
SeraphinaJ commented SeraphinaJ 4 years ago

The pandemic really showed us what's actually important in life, and it's not smooth legs.

8
ColetteH commented ColetteH 4 years ago

I've started asking myself why I do certain beauty routines. Is it for me or society?

4
Nicole_Soft commented Nicole_Soft 4 years ago

What's interesting is how this varies across different cultures and countries.

4
Wellness_Vision_101 commented Wellness_Vision_101 4 years ago

The comparison to abandoning underwire bras made me laugh. So many uncomfortable beauty standards questioned during lockdown!

0
Gabriella_Wells commented Gabriella_Wells 4 years ago

I work in a conservative office and still feel pressure to maintain certain grooming standards.

2
Janelle-Haynes commented Janelle-Haynes 4 years ago

Has anyone else noticed that younger generations seem more accepting of body hair?

6
Elsa99 commented Elsa99 4 years ago

Never thought I'd say this, but the pandemic helped me accept my natural self more.

7
Edgy_And_Classy commented Edgy_And_Classy 4 years ago

The article could have explored the professional pressure to conform to these standards more deeply.

3
Trendy_Waves_99 commented Trendy_Waves_99 4 years ago

I still remember my first waxing experience. Why did we normalize putting ourselves through such pain?

4
Victoria-Adams commented Victoria-Adams 4 years ago

My teenage daughter recently asked about hair removal and I found myself questioning what message I want to send her.

2
Alice_XO commented Alice_XO 4 years ago

This really opened my eyes to how much these beauty standards affect our daily lives and mental health.

5
Ariana commented Ariana 4 years ago

The money I used to spend on waxing now goes into my savings account. Thanks, pandemic!

5
Designer_Details commented Designer_Details 4 years ago

It's not just about the hair though. It's about reclaiming our right to choose what we do with our bodies.

1
Madison commented Madison 4 years ago

Riya's comment about feeling less pressured post-pandemic is spot on. I've definitely felt that shift in mindset.

4
Holly_Dew commented Holly_Dew 4 years ago

What amazes me is how young girls are when they start feeling pressure to remove body hair. We need to change this narrative.

6
BodyMindBalance commented BodyMindBalance 4 years ago

I noticed my partner doesn't care about my body hair nearly as much as I thought they would.

6
Miranda_Sky commented Miranda_Sky 4 years ago

That quote about spending time on more important things really struck a chord with me. Why waste hours on something that just grows back?

5
Streetwear_Power commented Streetwear_Power 4 years ago

The article makes valid points but forgets to mention that some cultures have different perspectives on body hair.

3
JoelleM commented JoelleM 4 years ago

I actually found the lockdown liberating. No more painful waxing sessions or judgmental looks from the parlor staff.

4
Herbal-Healing_77 commented Herbal-Healing_77 4 years ago

Seriously, who decided women should be hairless anyway? Our bodies naturally grow hair for a reason.

3
SerenitySeeker commented SerenitySeeker 4 years ago

The social conditioning runs so deep that even now, knowing better, I still feel uncomfortable showing body hair in public.

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Jillian_Lavish commented Jillian_Lavish 4 years ago

I particularly connected with Shuchita's realization about waxing before dates. Made me think about my own motivations.

8
Alondra-Green commented Alondra-Green 4 years ago

The article makes a good point about time passage. Our growing hair really was like a physical calendar during those strange lockdown days.

4
HarperSunshine commented HarperSunshine 4 years ago

Anyone else notice how much money they saved during lockdown by not going to the salon every month?

5
Lara_Twilight commented Lara_Twilight 4 years ago

I find it fascinating how many women discovered they were maintaining hairless standards primarily for others rather than themselves.

4
AnyaM commented AnyaM 4 years ago

The part about Aditi being called a bear in high school hits close to home. I had similar experiences and it really affected my self-image.

2
Fashion_Obsessed_27 commented Fashion_Obsessed_27 4 years ago

Interesting how it took a global pandemic for us to challenge these deeply ingrained beauty standards.

3
Winona_Lavish commented Winona_Lavish 4 years ago

Love how Sana's perspective changed during lockdown. Her realization about choosing to shave rather than feeling obligated is something I relate to.

4
AubreyS commented AubreyS 4 years ago

While I respect everyone's personal choice, I still prefer being hair-free. It makes me feel confident and comfortable, and that's my conscious decision.

6
SlowLiving_Advocate_2024 commented SlowLiving_Advocate_2024 4 years ago

This article really resonates with me. I've always felt pressured to be completely hairless, but during the pandemic I started questioning these beauty standards.

5
LydiaRussell commented LydiaRussell 4 years ago

I never realized how much time and money I spent on hair removal until lockdown. It's been eye-opening to question why I was doing it in the first place.

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