"A woman who shaves her vagina looks pre-pubescent."
Have you ever heard that phrase? Read it in an article, perhaps? Maybe in the comments section?
I have. More than once. I've heard it and I've read it and I'm not fuckin' buying it.
The first time someone said that to me, I was 16 years old. Every time I've come across this phrase, it was a man saying it but it could be any gender saying it. It's usually a person who probably considers themselves liberal, open minded and perhaps even a feminist. They have the best of intentions. They think they are striking out against this "trend" of shaved pussies. They think they are supporting woman by making their opinions known on the porn popular shaved pussy.
Well, fuck that. I assure you, it is not empowering to broadcast your opinion about grooming habits to a whole gender of people.
Calling a grown ass woman "pre-pubescent" is insulting. I wouldn't walk up to a man with a shaved face and call him "pre-pubescent". Why? Because he's a MAN. Regardless of how much hair he has on his face, his chest, his arms or his goddamn balls. I wouldn't go up to a lady with A-cup breasts and tell her she looks "pre-pubescent. Why? Because she's a WOMAN. And I assure you, when my clothes come off for any man I sleep with and they see my body, regardless of how much hair I choose to keep or not keep on my pussy, they know I'm a grown woman. They do not need that little signal to tell them so.
Comparing a WOMAN to a young girl because she chooses to shave/wax her vagina is inherently misogynistic because you are still telling a woman what she has to look like, what she has to be and do to be considered a woman in your definition.
We're allowed to have our own dislikes, likes, fetishes, turn ons and turn offs. But don't deny someone ownership of their body. Just accept that they are not your "type" and move on. Do not preach about why that "type" is unacceptable, repulsive or unattractive.
Men: I like facial hair but if you have a smooth shaven face you are still a post-pubescent, full grown man to me. And if you want to shave your balls, that's your business.
Ladies: Do whatever the hell you want. Do it because you want too. Because it pleases you. And don't let someone turn your pubic hair choice into a goddamn soapbox. Just let it be your box.
5 comments:
*applause*
Yeah, I'm not convinced. Telling a guy who calls all women sluts not to, may offend him, but it doesnt mean it's not the right thing to do. You never assess WHY women habitually shave their cunt hair off, beyond it being for some inexplicable trend.
The glaringly obvious thing to me is that this "trend" has converged with the ubiquity of pornography, and thus the hypersexualization of men, but especially of women. It's clearly another symptomatic characteristic, along with big titties and "blow job" lips, that has become normalized through porn and increasingly in mainstream media. You can argue whether it's right or wrong, but you have to at least place it within its relevant socio-cultural context. I think that context is ultimately consistent with, if not necessarily the infantilization of chicks, than something equally (or even more) disturbing: the mortification and objectification of women. Cunt hair and droopy or small tits, etc are too 'realistic', too reminiscent of the natural 'defects' of a living, breathing HUMAN woman. So lets dehumanize her.
Remember just as self righteous 'liberals' like me are outraged on your behalf that you shave your beautiful twat hair off, ask yourself, how do these trends even arise? Who runs our media and who sells us our everyday capitalist images to consume, men or women? Yes, men dont get as much hassle for facial hair, but men havent been oppressed by centuries of patriarchy the way women have.
Yeah, I'm not convinced. Telling a guy who calls all women sluts not to, may offend him, but it doesnt mean it's not the right thing to do. You never assess WHY women habitually shave their cunt hair off, beyond it being for some inexplicable trend.
The glaringly obvious thing to me is that this "trend" has converged with the ubiquity of pornography, and thus the hypersexualization of men, but especially of women. It's clearly another symptomatic characteristic, along with big titties and "blow job" lips, that has become normalized through porn and increasingly in mainstream media. You can argue whether it's right or wrong, but you have to at least place it within its relevant socio-cultural context. I think that context is ultimately consistent with, if not necessarily the infantilization of chicks, than something equally (or even more) disturbing: the mortification and objectification of women. Cunt hair and droopy or small tits, etc are too 'realistic', too reminiscent of the natural 'defects' of a living, breathing HUMAN woman. So lets dehumanize her.
Remember just as self righteous 'liberals' like me are outraged on your behalf that you shave your beautiful twat hair off, ask yourself, how do these trends even arise? Who runs our media and who sells us our everyday capitalist images to consume, men or women? Yes, men dont get as much hassle for facial hair, but men havent been oppressed by centuries of patriarchy the way women have.
I don't recall saying I was going to assess why women shave. I can dissect the reasons why but if people still feel they have any right to tell another person what to do or not to do with their own pubic hair, my analyzation and understanding of the event is useless. If women feel empowered to do what they want, media/society's efforts to dehumanize her wouldn't be as effective. So, the answer isn't to tell her to go against what society tells her to do. The answer is to empower all people (men and women) to govern their bodies how they want. Being outraged on women's behalf is useless if you're only outraged because you want to enforce your idea and encourage your preference for beauty.
Thank you for reading and for continueing the dialogue. Regardless of whether I agree with you or not, I do appreciate that people talk, discuss and debate this topic.
I agree with you that the answer is to empower all people to govern their bodies how they want. I suppose the point I'm making is that we should be aware of certain trends that eventually become social conventions, and question why they exist- I dont trust in "innocence" or aberrations. But alas, I agree with that - it's a woman's choice, who the fuck am I to say it's the "right" or "wrong" choice.
P.S. It's always a pleasure to read challenging and engaging stuff. Whether I ultimately agree or not, I enjoyed the read.
P.P.S. Your article on the Attawapiskat reserve was very educational. Thank you,
and please keep up the good work.
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