# Why I don't shave
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [February 12, 2004, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904 "2004-02-12T19:21:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@BernieW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BernieW)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2004, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/1 "2004-02-12T19:21:17Z")
This is a meager attempt at vocalizing my opinion of why women shouldn’t shave on a larger scale. So, I welcome whomever happens to stumble upon my own idea of beauty, wonder, and sensuality.
I am a twenty seven year old female; perfect in shape. I am a cornucopia of ripe fruit - full breasts, swelling stomach, round hips. I am a noticed woman. I have artwork on various parts of my body that understandably, put me more in notice than some. With me I carry my scars of a life lived, love lost and maturity gained. I have earned each stretchmark on my body - they represent the road less taken in my search for myself; in my search for God. I am also “Saved, Sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost” as we say in church. I believe in Jesus Christ and openly have a personal relationship with Him. I am a woman created in His image.
I am also a woman who represents the freedom taken by very few to walk with pride knowing under every layer of clothing I wear I am a blossom of natural sensuality waiting…(yes, waiting for marriage to bloom)
I lay in bed at night and my fingers find their way to the opposing underarm and fondle the bunch of aromatic, soft, womanly, hair that hides itself there. They then trial their way to my legs where there each strand of hair has it’s own story of what it has seen walking the woman it has been bestowed upon through this thing called life.
I don’t believe that each woman should feel a trader against their sex for not allowing themselves to search out who they really were created to be - each sense has it’s own aesthetics, I suppose.
I do feel men should feel ashamed at finding the portrait of a clean shaven, curvelss, fake breasted, unnatural woman sickening since we can trace it’s desire back to prepubesant boys.
My boyfriend doesn’t like it at all, my hair. I conclude that it is because he has never in his life experienced such a thing before, how sad! But, I assume he’ll get used to it after a time. I guess I could shave for his sake - and I guess I could also consequently be so full of insecurity over my loss that I lose all sense of sexuality that had taken me years to grow out.
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### Author:  [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/2 "2004-02-12T19:42:16Z")
I think your choice is fine. However, I think your blanket judgment:
> [@](#):
>
> I do feel men should feel ashamed at finding the portrait of a clean shaven, curvelss, fake breasted, unnatural woman sickening since we can trace it’s desire back to prepubesant boys.
is ludicrous and baseless.
Some women like to be hairy themselves. Some men like to be hairy. Some women like to be clean-shaven. Some men like to be clean-shaven. And women and men have varying opinions about the opposite sex–some chicks like really hairy guys, some prefer men with little body hair. Just like some women like long-haired men and some like close-cropped or shaven-headed guys.
Similarly, some guys like really skinny girls, some prefer more voluptuous types. And vice versa for women.
It’s just personal preferences.
And as a general defense of the whole, “Men who want women to shave are really lusting after prepubescent girls,” accusation I frequently hear in this arena, I say nonsense: Some men just prefer something quite opposite to themselves–curvy, not muscular, smooth, not hairy and “manly.”
> [@](#):
>
> My boyfriend doesn’t like it at all, my hair. I conclude that it is because he has never in his life experienced such a thing before, how sad! But, I assume he’ll get used to it after a time. I guess I could shave for his sake - and I guess I could also consequently be so full of insecurity over my loss that I lose all sense of sexuality that had taken me years to grow out.
He may grow to like it. He may not. That’s the way people are; they have different tastes, and some are more malleable than others.
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### Author:  [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/3 "2004-02-12T19:51:57Z")
Well, **toadspittle** beat me to my point (and phrased it better that I was going to, anyway), so I’ll just address this one point:
Do you find beardless men attractive? If so, by your own logic, you should be ashamed, as such feelings mean that you are subconsciously lusting after prepubescent boys.
Or maybe that particular argument just doesn’t hold any water.
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### Author:  [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2004, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/4 "2004-02-12T20:33:40Z")
> [@](#):
>
> woman should feel a trader against their sex
Traitor, you mean.
I am wondering if you wear makeup. I’m a female and I shave and wear makeup and don’t plan to stop. But it’s all a bit bizarre when you think about it. I will always shave because I prefer to (and I want to be less aromatic). But drawing and painting on your head? Now that’s just weird!
Congratulations on your perfect shape.
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### Author:  [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/5 "2004-02-12T20:35:43Z")
I find body hairs tend to hold odours and so seem dirty to me. If you don’t like to shave, then don’t. If you do then do. As simple as that.
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### Author:  [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/6 "2004-02-12T21:05:03Z")
Hhmm… my first reaction was… HAIR ! No way.
To be honest I think you have all the right to keep your underarm and pubic hair intact as most men have… just don’t expect us to get used to it that fast. If you have difficulty getting BFs its the price to pay.
I would love to let my hair and beard just grow out of control and not bother cutting and shaving… but then I wouldn’t look that nice would I ? If you prefer to call that control or repression… fine by me… I was conditioned to prefering shaven women. I take off my moustache especially since I don’t expect girls to like kissing bearded mouths.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2004, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/7 "2004-02-12T21:28:55Z")
I concur with the OP. As a man, I hate fake balloons and shaved hoo-has. I like women to look natural. lt’s gotten so I can’t even look at porn any more. Give me that 70’s bush any day.
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### Author:  [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2004, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/8 "2004-02-12T23:25:47Z")
I would agree with the others who have said it’s a matter of personal taste. I shave my legs, but not my underarms. I used to shave them, but then I started getting a really unpleasant rash from shaving, so I stopped shaving until the rash cleared up; I never started again. I don’t have a lot of body hair, never have. And I suppose I would take up shaving my underarms again if hubby expressed a real problem with it, or if I was having a problem with body odor (as it is, daily showering and deodorant seem to prevent odor).
But I don’t believe that men who like their women smooth are lusting after children. I mean, c’mon! My husband loves my legs smooth and hairless, and I’ve rarely seen hairier legs than those of my middle daughter before she started shaving them!
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### Author:  [@BernieW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BernieW)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2004, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/9 "2004-02-13T02:05:03Z")
My point is exactly this: That women should not be made to feel inferior because of a preference such as mine. Wouldn’t you say that women are ostricized for this on a whole?
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### Author:  [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2004, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/10 "2004-02-13T05:16:08Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I do feel men should feel ashamed at finding the portrait of a clean shaven, curvelss, fake breasted, unnatural woman sickening since we can trace it’s desire back to prepubesant boys.
There’s a syntax problem here; I think you’re saying the opposite of what you intended to say. Possibly you’ve combined two sentences into one without making the appropriate grammatical adjustments. But I think I know what you meant, and if so, I feel the same way, to some degree.
Thing is, it’s mostly a matter of taste. I prefer a woman’s natural body when it comes to shaving, but at the same time I don’t like tattoos. You’ve kept your body in its natural state in one aspect, but deliberately altered it in another. So your “perfect” shape might be appealing, but the tats would be a turn-off – for me. Not for somebody else. Neither viewpoint is superior – it’s just individual taste. (Though really, it’s the combination of vanity and self-righteousness that would be the real deal-breaker.)
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2004, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/11 "2004-02-13T08:15:29Z")
> [@BernieW](#):
>
> My point is exactly this: That women should not be made to feel inferior because of a preference such as mine. Wouldn’t you say that women are ostricized for this on a whole?
Wow. There is a societal preference that amounts to nothing more than a shallow, meaningless desire, and women not conforming to that preference are ostracized?
No way!
Lest my sarcasm in the above not be evident, I think this applies to a number of things about bodies, for women more than men - although to some extent both. Weight is a classic example.
So - yeah. No shocker there.
- Rick
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### Author:  [@Joachim\_Pieper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joachim_Pieper)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2004, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/12 "2004-02-13T10:43:34Z")
To be fair, though, body hair isn’t that pleasant, on men and women. And you’ve put your own body image over that of your boyfriend, which must make him feel really empowered. Reverse the situation. If he wanted to, say, start wearing make-up and you thought it made him looks stupid, what would you do?
Cheers.
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### Author:  [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2004, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/13 "2004-02-13T13:42:17Z")
You didn’t really pose this as a debate, did you? Maybe you should head over to MPSIMS.
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### Author:  [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2004, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/14 "2004-02-13T13:51:30Z")
I think she wants a cookie.
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### Author:  [@Stonebow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stonebow)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/15 "2004-02-13T15:17:56Z")
I pretty much agree with **Baldwin.** If it’s an issue of being a ‘natural’ woman, I sort of understand, though it doesn’t really do anything for me. My Lady wife has amazing skin, and I am pleased that she keeps herself groomed as she does because it gives me the chance to experience it. Fine hairs may be pleasant to the touch, but not nearly so pleasant to the mouth. 🙂
However, you seem to be in favor of body modification- so why do you have a beef with other peoples’ choices? Is it because you perceive this as ‘externally imposed’?
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### Author:  [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/16 "2004-02-13T15:30:18Z")
I’ve gone through spells in a few winters where I didn’t shave because I was wearing pants and there was nobody to see my legs. But that first shave when it got to be shorts weather was always pretty awful. And I am Gorilla Woman when I don’t; I have very dark leg hair and screaming white legs. It’s just not an attractive combination, and even in the summer my legs stay screaming white so it’s not like I could bleach the hairs and tan the skin if I had the nerve to stay unshaved. I AM considering getting them waxed during the summer instead of shaving, since I get real tired of having to do that about every two days.
I’m not a fan of heavy body hair on anybody, including me. But even if I quit shaving my legs, I’d keep shaving the pits. It does seem to help cut down on smell.
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### Author:  [@Intent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intent)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2004, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/17 "2004-02-13T17:44:49Z")
I’m a female, with curves, all natural round body parts, and few decorations of my own personal choice. But I feel more comfortable shaved. Where do I fit in your narrow scale? Do I even have a place?
On a side note, I wear the hair on my head long and natural. Do I get bonus points for this? Do you cut your hair ever? Isn’t that also going against your natural look?
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### Author:  [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2004, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/18 "2004-02-13T20:13:02Z")
> [@BernieW](#):
>
> Wouldn’t you say that women are ostricized for this on a whole?
No, I would not say that.
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### Author:  [@TGWATY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TGWATY)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/19 "2004-02-13T20:39:28Z")
I think unshaved women are great, that’s my personal taste. However, I just wanted to point that the prevalence of shaven women is _not_ just a matter of “taste” but of fashion.
My tastes were shaped as a pre-teen by sneaking peaks at Playboys during the gloriously bushy 70s. I don’t remember ever seeing a shaved crotch in magazines or on film then. But as an adult I have checked out earlier nudie films from the 50’s and they were usually shaved then.
Fashion.
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### Author:  [@ouisey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouisey)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2004, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-shave/228904/20 "2004-02-14T18:51:20Z")
I think **bernie** has a point about unshaven women being ostracized. Maybe not “ostracized”, but certainly considered very shocking.
Maybe its the city I live in, Kansas City…it seems like every person here, as soon as they see a hairy armpit on a woman, they all rear back and shudder violently…as if its an affront to the natural order of things.
I know people that could walk by a morbidly obese woman without blinking (unfortunately, there’s a lot of morbidly obese in KC), but as soon as that woman raises her arm to reveal even some stubble, all hell breaks loose.
I came to live in the US when I was 20, and after about six months here, I started shaving my armpits. I got looks of horror, whispers behind me, and outright commands from strangers to hide my armpit hair, and I’m simply not willing to put up with the hassle that comes from not shaving.
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