There’s a disturbing trend going on in the female body hair department and this is towards less hair down there. Women go to a salon where they spread their legs for a stranger who smears hot wax nail-bitingly close to important bits, strips of cloth are applied and then the whole lot gets ripped off. These women even pay money to have this done. But because I am disinclined to pay someone money for excruciating pain, this is not something I have ever done. So if I’ve got any aspects of the actual process wrong, feel free to correct me. But the question I want to ask is why do they do it?
There’s something almost pedophilic about hair-free genitals which I find a little repulsive. The appearance of pubic hair when we are teenagers signals our readiness for sex, and sex is one of life’s true pleasures so, to my mind, pubic hair is cause for celebration. Returning pubes to their prebuscent baldness is a disturbing celebration of non-sexuality. I have even heard it said that a preference for hairless genitals is a form of latent pedophilia. The Victorian poet/artist/architect, John Ruskin, is reported to have failed to consummate his marriage to Effie Gray because he was repelled by her pubic hair. Some argue that he was a pedophile and his subsequent infatuation with the 9-year-old Rose La Touche does seem to confirm this.
In the 1930s, Henry Miller wrote the book, The Tropic of Cancer. In it he discusses hairless twats as a repulsive almost comical thing.
“The other night I took her on-out of pity-and what do you think the crazy bitch had done to herself? She had shaved it clean … not a speck of hair on it. Did you ever have a woman who shaved her twat? It’s repulsive, ain’t it? And it’s funny, too. Sort of mad like. It doesn’t look like a twat any more: it’s like a dead clam or something.” He describes to me how, his curiosity aroused, he got out of bed and searched for his flashlight. “I made her hold it open and I trained the flashlight on it. You should have seen me … it was comical. I got so worked up about it that I forgot all about her. I never in my life looked at a cunt so seriously.”
When I have asked women I know who have hairless genitals why they do it, they say because it feels cleaner. So the sexual revolution of the 60s and 70s removed the “sex is dirty” label only for subsequent generations to introduce the new “bushy beavers are dirty” label. And isn’t soap and water the best weapon against dirt?
Are men to blame? I don’t think so. I am the proud owner of a bushy beaver (it does get pruned and tidied up though) and I have never had any complaints or requests.
Some people blame pornography. Apparently now, if people want bush in their porn, they have to specifically search for it.
There is an entire generation of young men who have never seen pubic hair. I found this from a recent article in The Independent:
My 19-year-old nephew told his mother that he had never seen a girl with pubic hair.
Shaving it all off does not offer any benefit to sexual satisfaction. It is even implicated in the spread of warts, although the study was very small and I can’t find any other supporting evidence. There was just one benefit to pubic baldness and that is in the fight against crabs. But who wants to admit, “I shaved it all off to get rid of the lice”?
The reason I’m writing about this now is because tomorrow, Mother London is launching Project Bush, which is a
…call to action for women to stand up to the pressures of modern society and present their bushes in all their glory. Whether waxed or never tended, young, old, black, brown or white, we want to display London’s lady gardens in all their variety, and demonstrate the choice that many young women – particularly – may not realise they have when it comes to waxing.
It’s my view that the primary reason women remove their pubic hair is because they are concerned about their appearance. But there’s nothing more attractive than self-assurance and confidence in oneself and by submitting to expectations of what they think other people like, they reveal a lack of self-worth which is just not sexy. Bring back the bushy beaver!
rachel.blog 
Nice to read a blog that doesn’t beat around the bush.
Ha, ha, nice one!
Funny! While we’re on the subject of bushy beavers, I’d like to recommend men’s electric shavers for pruning. Much less fuss than waxing and do a great job.
Great tip! Thanks, Bronwyn.
Fully support bushy mons pubis
Bring it on back!
I believe it started as an adjunct to small bikini bottoms and then, like many fashions, went to an extreme. Myself I think a tended rose is beautiful but pulling it out by the roots is not. On the other hand it is not for me to say what another does with their own body.
I have the legs of a sixty year old you know, oh yes. Unfortunately, I will soon have to give them back.
Beautifully said, Graham.
I think I may have to write more posts about legs – not necessarily my own – as they seem to be a popular topic.
Legs are a much under under appreciated necessity. They take us where we want to go and don’t ask very much in return apart from th occasional new pair of socks. Perhaps we should have a leg appreciation day. 🙂
Agreed and good idea!
Now if you are contemplating joining a protest demonstration or something, I suggest you change your mind now before it is too late!!!!
If you’re worried that I might go and flash my pubic hair in a protest somewhere then don’t worry, I have better things to do.
Oh bum! Was hoping to see photos in The Guardian! Life’s so unfair sometimes.
You could fly to London and check out the photographs from the Project Bush campaign.
I have come back to this post a couple of times Rachel. I am almost afraid to say anything, once I said something about your arm pits and you took my head off 🙂 I will just say here in the states it is quite common in females as well as males in the 20 to late 30 year range,
I’m sorry to have caused you grief, Bob! Sometimes it’s hard to convey light-hearted banter in text. I don’t think I have ever had reason to take your head off.
It’s true that this is also a growing trend in young men and this is perhaps cause for concern as well. I believe they call it the back, sack and crack.
You didn’t cause me grief Rachel, I took the whole thing out of context no big deal.
I have never heard oft he back, sack and crack but I think I can understand what you are talking about.
I somehow am able to communicate with people much younger than I am about subjects like this. So this comes from their words not from any literature or studies. The youth of today that I talk to have evolved into using oral sex only, that is the reason for the shavings. They fear the gift that keeps on giving or herpes. They believe it is harder to contract this way. I don’t have a clue I never bothered to research it.They even carry medical cards that show they are std free. This is a large city and it has many free std clinics where you can get tested for free every 90 days. The VA where I go even does the same thing every six months. Maybe you should go back and rate this post as R or you can delete this comment if you feel I shared to much.
Thanks for your comment, Bob. I hadn’t heard of the herpes reasoning before and you may well be right. Although I am not sure that it is harder to contract. It was my understanding that herpes is just as easily transmitted orally as in the traditional manner.
Hair to stay… I find the whole idea of female hair removal repulsive. Pubic hair is there for a reason, to reduce friction during coitus. I’m not sure what the purpose is with under-arm hair, but I like a little. One of my ex-wife’s virtues was that she trimmed, but never shaved. Even slightly hairy forearms, are a turn on; as is a shadow on the upper lip. For me there are several turn-offs, a shaved woman (anywhere), high heals (the realm of a prostitute) as is lipstick. The number one for me is breast implants or cosmetic surgery, either of those will deflate me quicker than a ‘nurse’s flick’.
Hair to stay… 🙂
AV
You live in Brazil don’t you? Women tend to be hairier there is that right?
Yes, but don’t forget why it’s called a ‘Brazilian wax’, many do. Although there are also many who don’t. 🙂
AV
The Squirrel Joke
Near where I live there is a small group of young male squirrels who are in difficulty. You have to imagine, they spend their time trying to move forward but only fall flat on their faces. They repeat this five or six times then stop, sit bolt upright looking confused, check their tales for defects and then do it all over again.
It seems they were entirely misinformed as to the meaning of burying their nuts for winter.
The culprits are not difficult to recognise. They’re sitting in a tree and with their trill squirelly voices singing Girls Just Want to Have Fun. Nature can be so cruel. 🙂
ha, ha, funny!
Rachel, thank God for the voice of reason! I love, love, love this post and I love your ‘take no prisoners’ way of writing. I am so sick and tired of the pressures put on women and particularly young people today. The work that women have to go through just for a night out is mind boggling, never mind having to make sure to be thoroughly waxed from head to toe. Now young men are at it too – the back, sack and crack? Unbelievable. This always makes me think of one of my favourite movies, ‘Deuce Bigalow’ and the hilarious scene where Rob Schneider gets one of those babies…it’s priceless.
I’m right with you on this one 🙂
I agree, Sherri. What about all the preparation needed for a day at the beach. Gave up long ago. (In fact, on the rare occasions I go to the beach, I have clothes on.) I don’t remember the scene in ‘Deuce Bigalow’ but will check it out.
Yes, you are so right Bronwyn, it is crazy. We shouldn’t be made to feel that we are somehow ‘not normal’ unless we are waxed within an inch of our lives.
Do check out Deuce Bigalow, if you like those kind of films 🙂
I’m so glad you think so, Sherri. I do hope Project Bush does some good by showing young women that it’s ok to have pubic hair. I haven’t seen Duece Bigalow but I’m curious now so will also check it out.
Yes, let’s hope so! If you want a great film that is so stupidly funny yet also quite sweet then I highly recommend it, if you like that sort of thing! Enjoy 🙂
I also want to say, and I almost wish I’d put it in my post, that beards on men are just the best thing ever.
And whose husband might happen to have a beard, Rachel? You wouldn’t be biased by any chance?
Yes, he has a beard but only because I requested it and even then he trims it down to almost nothing.
I love stubble beards.
Side-tracking to hairy armpits, my sister used to have an Italian brides’ magazine that she brought back from Milan when she was modelling there in the ’70s. The bride on the cover was very demure in a sleeveless, long, white, lace gown. However, her armpits, full of thick tufts of black hair did spoil the photo in the eyes of us young Aussie women. It’s a cultural thing but to date this “tradition” hasn’t become popular in Oz. What is Mother London’s stance on hairy armpits?
I’m not sure but I imagine they encourage women to make up their own minds about it. I do shave my armpits and have thought about whether I’m being hypocritical by criticising the hairless pube lot but I think there is a difference here. It’s very easy to shave your armpits and doesn’t cost anything and it does help to eliminate body odour. Armpits are also a non-sexual body part. I also think it’s perfectly fine for women to sport hairy armpits if they want to. There’s just the pedophile connection to hairless genitals that I find a bit disturbing.
The statement, “My 19 year old nephew etc…”, is ambiguous.
I think Ruskin’s relationship to Effie was far more complex than the pubic hair story which is the only thing many folks seem to ever have heard about someone who played so important a part in our artistic, cultural and social past. I think a film has been made but is not scheduled for release until next spring so hopefully that will add a little more background to people’s knowledge of Ruskin and the marriage. In the meantime, best not to mention the ‘mortified by pubic hair’ story to the folks at Brantwood in case they throw you in the lake
Thanks for the tip regarding Brantwood. I will keep my lips sealed and in the meantime, will look out for the film.
Oh you brave woman! Love this post. I posted in Brussels a couple of months ago about a naked woman lying in a store window. I couldn’t tell if she was real or fake. She had a hairless mons pubis. The whole thing disturbed me on some core level. There was a drain in the corner and it provoked a feeling of woman as dead or lifeless object. A woman blogger who was extensively molested as a child commented to me that the hairless mons disturbed her because it was a symptom of the sexualization of children. Women are being encouraged to look like little girls. I saw Nichole Kidman naked on stage and she had removed almost all of her pubic hair. When her daughters enter puberty will they feel the need to do the same? Is this what she would want? Many celebrities do this, too numerous to mention.Think of Gwyneth Paltrow and her blog extorting the best place for her female readers to get a genital wax in Paris. Mass medicated culture imposes a pedophilic veneer on women, we are shown we are most valuable if we look like children. It is quite harmful and it needs to stop! Thank you for posting.
Thanks, Cindy. I also find it very disturbing and also a bit repulsive. I’m hoping this is a temporary fad that will pass. I didn’t know Gwyneth Paltrow had blogged about finding a good place for a genital wax in Paris. Why would anyone want to spread their legs for a complete stranger just for purposes of having their pubic hair stripped off?? I find this astonishing.
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