# Female/Gay Male Dopers: What do you think of guys who shave their chest? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 12, 2007, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081 "2007-11-12T02:30:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/1 "2007-11-12T02:30:10Z")
In [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=443677) thread, I mentioned that I shave my chest (and underarms). As I explained there, it’s not a hygiene issue; I just happen to think it looks more aesthetically pleasing to have a bare torso. Looking at the cover of any fitness magazines seems to bear this out: you just never encounter a cover model with a really thick patch of chest hair. So, what say you? I’m certain there are many women (and, in the interest of inclusiveness, gay men) who like the “natural” look. But what would you think of a guy who, in the midst of a romantic interlude, removed his shirt to reveal a smooth upper body? (FWIW, I do not shave my legs or forearms. While I have in the past (it was college…we were all experimenting), and I like a hairless body, it’s also a completely annoying pain in the ass. I don’t know how women put up with shaving their legs, as much as I like it when I get to pet a pair of smooth, sexy stems. Plus, I’m not exactly “Robin Williams” hairy, so it’s not too bad the way it is.) ---
**Author:** ![DistendedPendulousFrenulum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@DistendedPendulousFrenulum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DistendedPendulousFrenulum)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/2 "2007-11-12T02:36:31Z")
Shaving is pointless unless you shave words and designs into your fur. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/3 "2007-11-12T02:37:30Z")
Stubble sucks. I don’t mind a naturally smooth body. I also don’t mind hair. But I very much mind having my skin abraded away by stubble. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/4 "2007-11-12T03:07:39Z")
My husband has “manscaped”- attacked the chest hair with a trimmer. It worked pretty well- not smooth but not really hairy. ---
**Author:** ![9thFloor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/b487fb/32.png) [@9thFloor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/9thFloor)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/5 "2007-11-12T03:11:52Z")
Hairless is best if you have muscles to show off that you don’t want to leave unseen. As far as magazine covers, if a lot of the visuals are of black athletes they seem to less frequently have noticeable chest hair anyway in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/6 "2007-11-12T03:21:41Z")
The chest isn’t so weird to me, because some guys don’t have much chest hair anyway…but a guy with no underarm hair I think looks a little strange, to be honest. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/7 "2007-11-12T04:35:26Z")
I prefer natural, whether the guy is naturally hairy or naturally hairless. I wouldn’t dictate what he does with his body hair any more than I would let someone dictate what I do with mine, though. If a guy wants to shave, fine with me. I might gently suggest that I prefer he doesn’t, but I’m not going to be a pest about it. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/8 "2007-11-12T04:39:27Z")
Personally, I would be unhappy with the stubble. If you really want a hairless chest, go get yourself waxed. Given the choice, I prefer my men like my coffee: bitter and hairy. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/9 "2007-11-12T04:39:39Z")
My wife says she doesn’t care either way. Chest hair is not something that she would take into account. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/10 "2007-11-12T05:06:55Z")
It depends on what the guy looks like with and without, though I prefer a little fluff to stubble. If he seriously doesn’t care for it, go the whole hog and wax it, I say. A little fur never killed anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/11 "2007-11-12T05:14:41Z")
Soft hair is better than stubble but furry backs might need a waxing… ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/12 "2007-11-12T05:54:25Z")
I love a hairy chest. My husband has a nice hairy chest. The back hair, meh, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/13 "2007-11-12T06:14:26Z")
I have a friend who shaves his but it’s probably out of vanity more than anything else (he’s getting a bit grey). I don’t mind either but a hairy back makes me gag. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/14 "2007-11-12T07:11:09Z")
I don’t really _mind_ body hair, but… totally shaved/waxed is a total turn-on for me. ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/15 "2007-11-12T13:05:31Z")
Stubble is really, really uncomfortable. It’s scratchy and like sandpaper! I’d prefer if he didn’t shave his chest; I don’t need to exfoliate that badly. I don’t mind a little bit of chest hair, but if he really doesn’t like it, I’d suggest waxing. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/16 "2007-11-12T13:58:08Z")
Visually I don’t mind a smooth chest but prefer some hair. I wouldn’t kick a guy out of bed for having a shaved chest but it’s not my preference. Shaved armpits on a man is just wrong on so many levels. Again not a deal breaker but there’s something off about hairless pits. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/17 "2007-11-12T13:58:55Z")
When we were together I wished my last boyfriend had possessed somewhat more hair. He didn’t remove his, he just didn’t have much to begin with. A hairy chest can be way sexy, within reason…if it’s creeping over your shoulders, it’s a bit much, though it’s not like it’s your fault. If you must remove it completely, please wax or something that doesn’t leave stubble. But I’d rather you leave it alone (though I can see where sometimes some trimming would be a usefu idea), really. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/18 "2007-11-12T16:55:15Z")
Depends on the guy. Some look better furry and others look better smooth. My SO shaves his chest and it looks better on him that way. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/19 "2007-11-12T16:57:18Z")
[QUOTE=LifeOnWry] I don’t really _mind_ body hair, but… totally shaved/waxed is a total turn-on for me. [/QUOTE] Seconded! ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081/20 "2007-11-12T17:03:02Z")
I think chest-shaving is really, really gross. Trimming should be encouraged, of course, but the smooth chest itself is, at best, unappealing to me, and few things are as unpleasant as a chest full of stubble. Yick! I’m relatively hairy, and an ex-boyfriend tried to get me to shave once. No siree. I don’t even like shaving my _face_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-gay-male-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-guys-who-shave-their-chest/426081.md?page=2)