What do men think about women with hairy legs?
Thousands of women, we're told, are signing up for the Hairy Legs Club – an online movement that encourages like-minded ladies to ditch the razor and flaunt their naturally hirsute limbs. But what are men supposed to think about it?
A woman with more fuzz on her ankles than a Tour de France cyclist or Premier League footballer can be a strange, conflicting, unsettling sight for us gents.
Deep down, we can be as modern and liberal as the next person. We understand the importance of freedom of expression, of breaking gender cliches, of not conforming to social pressures, and of being comfortable in your own skin. But if we’re honest – really honest – few of us would say we prefer a hairy leg to a shaved one. Some men would no doubt say they find it disgusting.
The focal point of the Hairy Legs Club is a tumblr account where women can post pictures and share their experiences and thoughts. Looking through it, there are some stories that emphasise why this a potentially important issue.
One post tells the story of an Australian teacher who forced a pupil with learning difficulties to shave her armpits in front of the class. It's an appalling tale – and clearly it’s the culture of judgment and bullying that should be getting the chop here, not the poor girl’s armpit hair.
But the shaving of body hair is a cultural thing, and that's why attitudes are so ingrained. Men have been conditioned for decades to find a certain image of femininity attractive, but does the Hairy Legs Club mean that we now risk being called sexist pigs if we endorse that image by saying we find shaved legs more attractive?
Breaking such deep-rooted conditioning is hard. Sexual desire is arguably man’s most powerful, primal urge, and no one is going to change our preferences overnight. Hopefully that doesn't make us sexist.
Most modern men support pro-feminist agendas and we try to make amends for the sins of our fathers. But let's be honest, women aren't entirely blameless when it comes to projecting beauty stereotypes either. Fashion and glamour magazines, the multi-million-pound beauty industry, and high-profile female stars all promote a standardised, smooth-skinned feminine sexuality – they’re just as guilty as the much-criticised men’s mags of telling women how they should look, even if their approach is different.
Clearly, the fact that a debate has been sparked means the Hairy Legs Club is a positive thing. Reading through the tumblr posts, the concept has been an inspiration for women to come out the hairy closet. Many of them talk about how their male partners have supported their decision to not shave or wax. Perhaps one day we'll get to a point where the matter won't even be an issue that needs discussing. But men in general have a long way to go before the image of a hairy woman’s body doesn’t make us recoil. The Hairy Legs Club tumblr makes for interesting, right-on reading, but some of those legs are, let's be honest, extremely hairy – it's a startling sight, even for those of us who are used to our partners only shaving or waxing when necessary.
Of course, some will say this campaign is not about men's preferences, and that the Hairy Legs Club really has nothing to do with men at all. And that's fine. It's none of our business, and we're not judging you. But if did want our opinion on the matter, most of us would probably say that diversity is a good thing, and that actually we're much more concerned about what a women is like under the skin, rather how much hair she's got on her body.
Hairy or shaved, it shouldn’t matter. And I'm no position to judge anyone who refuses to reach for the razor blades just to keep their other half happy. I’ve had a beard for the last 15 years, largely due to laziness, and it would take something pretty spectacular for me to take up shaving again. Even if women told me on a daily basis that I looked more attractive without the hair, I think I’d struggle to keep it up. And it certainly wouldn't occur to me to shave just for their benefit.
So you see, sisters? I'm with you all the way.
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