We live in a society where we are judged by our looks down to a
hair (pun intended) ““ where people are so chaetophobic
(afraid of hair) that not only is leg hair reserved for hippie
communities and “those” feminists, but, when Julia
Roberts showed up to the Notting Hill premiere with fuzz under her
arms, it earned her the spotlight.
Here, in the United States, it’s pretty much standard for
women to shave both their armpits, legs and bikini lines, yet we
have no clear-cut customs of what is considered to be
“hot” in the deep safari. And while many guys and girls
love the feeling of smooth, freshly shaven genital skin, others
think it’s slightly perverted and gives the impression of
being pre-pubescent.
But all in all, there is no harm in shaving (as long as
you’re careful) and as long as it’s consensual,
it’s no one’s place to say what’s right or wrong.
So, whether you have a tangled thicket or a freshly trimmed
topiary, shaving is all about bush confidence. Whatever gender you
are, feeling comfortable, happy and, well, bush confident is the
way to go. If you’re naturally perfect, don’t touch a
thing; a little overgrown, a slight trim; chaetophobic, step beyond
the Brazilian wax and go for the sphinx.
It’s simply important to remember that just because you
shave, doesn’t mean everyone else will. Some people do find
shaving offensive, and this is perfectly reasonable. In a lot of
cultures vulvas are seen as shameful, and nude women are often
depicted without vulvas or pubic hair. It’s understandable
then that some women want to treasure every hair they have.
However, in some other cultures the vulva has been worshipped, so
it all just really depends on your outtake on life. The same issues
also apply to men ““ while some men enjoy shaving, others
think it makes them look like they’re 12.
Hair removal, even pubic hair removal, has a long history. It is
suggested that Ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Turks all portrayed
their ideal women as hairless. Supposedly this was a symbol of
youth and innocence, and while this could be taken as sexist, today
the standards are changing. Not only is pubic hair acceptable on
women, but also many men are taking their razors further south than
their faces.
One girl told me that there should be no hair at all. “Sex
is just so much better when you’re clean-shaven, and if
I’m going to shave, then I’m going to expect him to
too.” Her claim was that pubic hair got in the way of sex.
However, another girl vowed that no blade or wax was going to go
anywhere near her bush.
Guys seemed to be more wary of shaving. “It’s not
fun, it itches afterwards,” told one male. But most remained
opened minded. And, if shaving meant they were going to get some
action, most guys were ready to jump on the boat.
Others see shaving their pubes as hygienic. “If you have a
little hair, that’s fine, but when stuff starts getting stuck
and smelling, then you need to get rid of it,” decided one
girl.
Some people even enjoy shaving others. And, if you’re into
smoothness, this could be a very useful foreplay tactic. Not only
will you be able to show how much you trust each other, but
you’ll both be sensually smooth for the rest of the
night.
Other societies are a little more clear on how their ideal trip
down south would look. For example, in South Korea, a
well-fertilized bush is seen as a sign of fertility. Some doctors
in South Korea even offer pubic hair transplantation. Just imagine
yourself with Austin Power’s chest hair between your
legs.
But really it all depends on your personal preferences. If you
enjoy everything as nature intended it, props to you. If you
don’t enjoy pubes acting as dental floss, well, I think
that’s understandable.
But seriously, if you want to put in the time and effort, let
your pubic hair be an extension of you. Let your true personality
shine through under your pants. You care about your head hair and
your clothes, right? So next time you’re in the shower and
you’re feeling creative maybe take a snip at the hedge
““ it might be a life-changing experience.
Just make sure to trim before you apply the razorblade, take a
long bath or shower to soften the hairs, and apply a shaving cream.
A word of warning: when you shave for the first time you may get
bumps. No worries, they go away and then you can shave again. It
just takes some adjusting for your skin to get used to being
shaved. If they don’t, see a doctor.
If you have a terrifyingly terrific topiary down under,
e-mail Lara at lloewenstein@media.ucla.edu.