This post has been written by a dear friend and a wonderful role model of mine, in hairy situations, and in life.
“I’ve been a hairy lady for over 6 years now. I started with my leg hair, which wasn’t too difficult to get used to, as my hair is quite sparse and pale. Hairy armpits thought are a totally different ball game! I’ve had hairy armpits for about 4 years now. While I love my pits and seeing what my body does in it’s natural state, I’m finding it’s still something I feel self conscious about in new situations with people I don’t know. I have gotten used to showing them off in every day and in trickier situations, like when swimming and dating and having sex (the people who like me don’t have an issue with me body hair and are usually just excited about getting naked with me). What I have been struggling with is displaying my armpits when I’m exercising. I wonder if this is because I still have a belief that armpit is intrinsically dirty (it isn’t) or unhygienic (it isn’t). Recently I’ve started learning salsa. I love spinning and twirling in pretty dresses and skirts and dancing with a variety of partners. At most practices, I cover my armpits with sleeves, however I’ve started wear capped sleeves as the weather is getting warmer. So far these little sprouts haven’t attracted any attention.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jarousseau/8409582476/
On the weekend I went to a dance social, which brought my armpit worries to the fore. I purchased a gorgeous new dress the morning of the social. It’s a fancy sleeveless, one shoulder number with my pits fully on display – nowhere to hide, no way of mistaking my pits for anything but hairy. I put the dress on quite a few times during the day to do ‘pit assessments’, skyped HairoineLady, and even made my housemate give a pit assessment. In the shower, getting ready for the event, I thought that maybe I could just shave my armpits for that occasion. I had the idea a few times during the day, but really felt uncomfortable about comprising how I like my body to be, with what I thought was socially acceptable. I also realised that I don’t own any hair removal devices…so I was stuck hairy pits. So hairy pits and all – I put my dress on, wore my best lipstick and favourite dancing shoes ready to hit the dance floor.
I got to the social and it was packed. I was asked to dance within minutes and totally forgot all about my pits. I don’t think anyone even noticed and I got lovely compliments on my new dress. It was such a fun night! Afterwards I went out dancing with some friends at a bar afterwards and didn’t think twice about my armpit hair until I got home. I was quite surprised at how nervous I felt about this in the lead up to the event as I had thought I was totally fine with my body hair. I’m not sure I’m quite ready to reveal my pits in practices or in other exercise situations – but I’m getting there.”
It strikes me that after six years, these are still common concerns. I have to admit, it makes me weary to think about still feeling self conscious about hair after such a long time. A lot of the feelings I have about my body hair, I imagine to be things that will get easier with time. This is probably still true, but it also shows just how far we have to go when it comes to ideas of beauty and social norms. There are still many new experiences I have to tackle with a natural body (swimming still seems slightly terrifying!), and this is just one reason I am grateful to have hair positive and incredible women in my life.
You are all wonderful, and inspire me to push on when giving in would be so much easier.
Thank you, Hairy Dancer!
Photo source: Flickr Creative Commons, Vincent Jarousseau
The Hairvolution 