Submit-Pandemic, Eradicating My Physique Hair No Longer Feels Essential
A number of years in the past, I had an epiphany that helped me rethink the best way I considered eradicating my very own physique hair. Give it some thought: We take away indicators of our womanhood in trade for child-like smoothness. I’m not saying there’s something incorrect with selecting to shave. However I’m saying there additionally is not something incorrect with selecting to not shave.
Rising up, I discovered girls shaved their legs usually and I by no means thought to ask why. In hindsight, they had been solely instructing me what they knew. I had this concept that if I didn’t shave, I used to be by some means much less fascinating. My thoughts had created a direct hyperlink between the quantity of hair on my physique and potential love and affection.
I went years shaving each week, all through highschool and into maturity. I spent most of junior excessive shaving my arms, as a result of god forbid anybody thought I used to be much less female for having darkish hair on my arms. I refused to put on shorts or clothes when my legs weren’t shaved. I did not put on tank tops on days I forgot to shave my armpits. If I had a date, I might up the anty and shave twice in the identical week, on the uncommon likelihood they’d know I hadn’t shaved in a number of days. For sure, that shit was in my head—preconceived notions from conversations with my household and different girls who grew up with the identical made-up requirements.
Step one I took to body-hair freedom was letting my arm hair develop. And also you wish to know what? My arms nonetheless appear like arms. I used to be capable of cease fascinated about how ugly I used to be with arm hair and, finally, I ended fascinated about my arm hair altogether. A number of years later, I moved to a special metropolis alone and my relationship with my physique hair continued to vary. I met, frolicked with, and have become associates with a brand new group of ladies. Girls who, from what I noticed, owned and cherished their our bodies. Sporting clothes with leg hair and bralettes with hair peeking out from their armpits. They had been snug, highly effective, inspiring—precisely how I needed to be. Round that point, I ended shaving as soon as per week and immediately felt liberated. No one even centered on my physique hair, no less than not anyone I paid consideration to. I went to seashores and lakes sporting a swimsuit with out meticulously trimming my bikini line hours earlier than. I wore shorts after going two weeks with out touching a razor. I used to be getting snug with my physique and the hair on it.
Step one I took to body-hair freedom was letting my arm hair develop. And also you wish to know what? My arms nonetheless appear like arms.
Quick ahead to the pandemic and I started shaving even much less. There have been so many different issues occurring in our lives that had nothing to do with sustaining my physique hair. I’m grateful to like and stay with somebody who helps my selections and who sees physique hair for what it’s—pure and regular, stunning even. However shaving much less regularly shortly grew to become a catch-22 scenario. Prolonged durations of time with out shaving meant I spent extra time, extra water, and extra power once I did.
That’s when the guilt crept in. For a second, I thought of shaving extra usually to keep away from feeling responsible. I additionally thought of by no means shaving once more. Neither of which I used to be totally on-board with. Positive, smoother legs after a shave-break felt fantastic. However there have been payments to pay, shoppers to seek out, meals to eat, pups to play with, individuals to speak with. Life was taking place. I didn’t wish to spend extra time than I needed to within the toilet shaving my physique. In spite of everything, that’s why I nonetheless shave—for me. It is what I made a decision a number of years again once I lived alone. Shaving was one thing I did on my phrases. One thing I selected to do. One thing I take pleasure in now and again.
If the pandemic has taught me something, it’s that point and power are priceless. This pandemic has made a whole lot of us rethink what we’re putting emphasis on in our lives. What’s essential and what simply plain isn’t. And for me, shaving is not one thing I wish to spend hours each month doing. So, I invested in a security razor and it was the proper resolution. I can go a complete month earlier than touching my trusty razor. However I do know that once I use it, it takes me lower than 10 minutes to get every part taken care of—no guilt. Out and in of the toilet and again to dwelling life and doing the rattling factor. I’ve by no means felt safer, snug, and empowered in my physique.
Embracing My Bushy Arms Was the Most Liberating Factor I've Ever Achieved
