Hair, Hair Everywhere (or, Maybe Not)
To contemplate body hair – that is the question. The answer depends on several factors:
- Do you care about your body hair enough to even entertain the question?
- What cultural/societal/familial expectations do you experience, and do you seek to sustain them or choose another path?
- How are you most physically comfortable?
- Do you like hair on some parts of your body but not on others?
- Do you have the resources for upkeep should you choose shaving, waxing, threading, sugaring, lasering, etc.?
There are absolutely no right or wrong solutions. Except when anyone feels pressured or forced into doing – or not doing – something to their bodies – that’s when hair removal can become problematic.
What about medical issues? Well, yes, there’s certainly the risk of cutting oneself with a razor blade or getting burned with wax. And what about protection from infection, particularly when we’re talking about pubic hair? You might be at risk for “folliculitis” (hair follicle infection ) or an ingrown hair which can be uncomfortable. But gynecologists interviewed in this Women’s Health Magazine article agree – removal of pubic hair is okay.
So no matter what you decide, it’s all good. Hair (or lack thereof) can help us to express ourselves, keep us warm, be playful and can be cut, colored, braided, done up, let down. It can be decorated and should be celebrated (no matter texture, style, length, and even absence).
And if nothing else, enjoy an expert reading of the picture book (@ashelnok on Tik Tok) “Brenda’s Beaver Needs a Barber” (B. Tayanita, M. Williams & S. Bangladesh).
