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Ichabod!

2002-03-25 6:02 p.m.

gahr. i hate how much time my dorm room seems to swallow. i came back here after i finished programming intending to go check out a few books from the library before tdn, but now two hours have passed without any progress on my research paper. but i did get a lot of little things done around the room that needed to get done, like thank you notes to my sisters.

but ive also been looking up a few things online, like why american women shave their legs. i havent shaved mine since february, and it really doesnt matter since its still snowing like crazy out here and i prolly wont be showing my legs any time soon. but how it started is about 1915, catalogs started showing womens fashions with sheer sleeves or no sleeves at all. some people at the razor companies saw this and the underarm hair on the models shown. they realized that they could stand to make a lot of money if they convinced women to shave "unsightly" underarm hair. within two years, it was standard for fashionable women to do so. shaving leg hair followed not long after, prolly when hemlines went up again and sheer stockings appeared.

reading further, i found that now most women shave their legs becuase it has continued to be the social norm and most american men find it atttractive. many women stated that they hate shaving, thats its a bother most of the time, and they neglect shaving through most of the winter. others stated that they shave just because their husbands/boyfriends say hairy women are unsexy.

ok. so since i have no husband/boyfriend telling me that he thinks my legs are unsexy. ive no real reason to shave my legs. after reading many womens comments on the topic, i really dont see a reason to continue except that one. i dont feel like having body hair makes me unattractive or defines me as a woman. (ok, thats a lie. it does a little bit, but i think thats more of because im not used to it more than anything).

there may be some deeper issues to this like why should men want women to be hairless like children or why shouldnt we accept womens bodies as they are instead of requiring so much maintenance for the silky smooth image. but ultimately it comes down to whether or not i feel comfortable with hair on my legs.

so when summer comes and i occasionally wear shorts, will i shave my legs too? the only other issue i have with this is other peoples reactions to women who dont shave their legs. one girl wrote that her father refused to let her out in public until she shaved her legs. many people think of a feminazi or a lesbian when she see a woman who doesnt shave her legs. and what happens next fall when "real trumpets wear shorts"? most other girls i know who have gone long periods without shaving their legs have very fine light hair. mine is dark and kinda course. not exactly unnoticable. so will i give in to the social pressures and shave or not? luckily, ive still got a while to decide before the warm weather shows up again.