“I’ve been de-fuzzing my legs, arms, underarms and upper lip twice a month since I was 15 years old and let me tell you it’s a lot of work,” says Shahnaaz.

“Waxing, threading, shaving whatever your weapon of choice, epilation is painful business. It’s pricey, painful and messy. But I do it because let’s admit it, being a hairy girl is like being a social outcast.”

Shahnaaz (name changed) is a 26- year-old PR professional from Mumbai.

Fuzz is a killer
Being extraordinarily gifted in the body hair department since I was thirteen, trust me when I say that fuzz is a killer. In school just a faint hint of hair on your upper lip was enough to get you labelled a muchhad, so I learnt early on that body hair on girls is just not acceptable.

Unforgiving women
You would imagine that it’s the boys who are most mean about it, but in my experience when it comes to body hair girls are more unforgiving. I know that the sight of body hair annoys a lot of people because they find it unhygienic or offensive, but the way women respond to body hair on other women completely baffles me.

I mean you would expect them to be sympathetic about these things but I feel like they judge you for being lazy. It’s like, ‘I took the time out to get waxed, why couldn’t you?’

Hair free bodies are attractive?
“I’ll be honest I epilate because hair free bodies are attractive and I like feeling desired. I know there is all sorts of pressure on women to look a certain way, i.e. fairer, thinner, whatever. But at the end of the day it’s my choice and I’ll do whatever I want as long as it makes me feel good.

Personal Grooming
Personally I don’t think body hair is offensive but it can be unhygienic, especially underarm hair. For women though, body hair removal is a really important part of personal grooming as well. I am a PR professional and being lazy with personal grooming would mean career suicide for me.

Unfair
It’s all a bit unfair of course. I mean if a male colleague shows up to work with a five o’clock shadow, everyone finds it sexy. But if I miss a waxing appointment and show up to work with even a little hair on my legs I’d be declared a slob. “

To each her own
“But it’s not all about what other people think either, I like the way my legs feel right after they’ve been waxed. I also love how confident I feel in bed right after a de-fuzzing session.

I admire the women who have what it takes to go au naturel but I’m fine with the waxing and threading for now. I guess when it comes to hairy matters, each to her own.

By Monica James

Photo: Bogella under CC licence

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