The Naked BeaverThe other day, I treated myself to a Brazilian wax and I went to arguably the best place in Edinburgh. It was expensive, but the technician was fast, friendly and experienced. When I left the establishment somewhat lighter, I knew in my heart I can't give up the goo. You see, when I first got my job, I laid down the dough and got a Brazilian, a full leg and underarm wax and paying the bill brought me closer to tears than having hair ripped out from the roots in my most sensitive areas. So I decided to take it easy and do DIY waxing/hair removal in an effort to save money. I kept this up from about February until July when I decided to go ahead and treat myself in the days leading up to the wedding. I went to a cheaper place and immediately regretted it. Dirty walls, hard, thick wax and a procedure that took double the length of time that I was used to. NEVER AGAIN. But I got a better result than what I do myself. So I decided that it was worth paying good money to go to a nice, clean place (read: expensive) to strip down to basically nothing and make small talk with a woman I've never met before and have her put hot wax on my va-jay-jay and confirm that I'd like my "bottom" done too.
But while I was lying there with my limbs akimbo, I wondered why us women do this to ourselves. We don't have to and it's debatable as to whether or not it's detrimental to our health and skin. I don't take my clothes off for money nor are my nether regions featured in blue movies. So why do I feel compelled, and ultimately satisfied, to be hairless? I don't think it's due to societal or relational pressures. I guess it just makes me feel nice. I would love to have a really good conversation about this. I'm interested to know why other women do it or don't do it, for that matter. Anyone care to chime in? Boys are allowed (I'm looking at you C7).
Amusing that both our most recent posts address Brazil, but in somewhat different ways. :)
ReplyDeleteActually I do think it has a bit to do with societal and relational pressures. I suppose hair removal has always had an important place in European culture, but I feel like in the past few decades we've had much more exposure to what (other) people look like having sex, or what other people look like naked in general. I think it's created a perception that less hair down there is both better looking and better for sex (especially oral sex) and whether people are conscious of it or not, they are coming under that societal pressure. In J-porn they're all about the bush, and in my (limited) experience, J girls don't feel any need to shave. By contrast, I feel like lots of American guys totally expect it and I suspect women must be at least somewhat conscious of that.
How's this: (This will sound like I'm joking, but I'm mostly serious) Let's say you stopped tending the garden for six months and then suddenly found out other people were going to see your crotch for some reason. Wouldn't you feel self conscious? I think that's some societal pressure.
But what do I know of such things? :)
I think I'd be more self-concious about having some random people see me half naked than having hair on my crotch. Listen, a well tended bush isn't a cause for repulsion. In fact, I've heard the lady bush is coming back. As for the hubs, he knows which side his bread is buttered so he'd be coming back for seconds. TRUST. I'm not sure what it is. I think I just prefer a near naked crotch and undercarriage mostly because I like the feeling and the look. All I know now is that I'm not giving up the wax. In fact, I'm looking forward to my next appointment.
ReplyDeleteKaki,
ReplyDeleteCorrect me if I am wrong, but isn`t this the topic of the first conversation we ever had at our first meeting on the Gifu walking tour. I think it is. We get down to business with no time spared. I`m not such a patient women myself.
There`s a place nearby called WaxBar, I`m tempted to check it out. Gonna be in Hawaii this Christmas. Gotta be prepared.
(my question mark is not working. Excuse the lack of punctuation)
Love.
kaki? It's Steph... I kind of found you through C7, which is weird.
ReplyDeleteYou need to watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU1BidE1VSg
Being... well... me, I do it my own way. Read: I make my own sugar and if I had the dough, would invest in organic cotton hankies - lol.
G - I do recall my surprise on the first onsen visit... I had never even considered *not* grooming, so the sight of unshaved pubic hair was rather intriguing.
I do think the level of hair one allows to remain on their body has become semi-political, but that just may be cause of the people I hang out with.
*Why* we put ourselves through any level of misery to take it off is anybody's guess, but I hate blaming society for what was clearly done with my consent. In my case, I just like some amount of tidiness, plus the feel of warm caramel on skin.
Speaking from the other perspective, I've got to question anyone who requires a bare vagina in order to enjoy it. Maybe I'm not picky, but I think pubes are an indication of womanhood (and, for that matter, manhood, having been a witness to guys who wax) and find it terribly disconcerting to find a bare pubic area once the clothes fly off. One of the most sexist moments I've ever lived had to do with a guy not wanting to go there cause it was hairy... so as usual, the bottom line in terms of hair removal for me is this: do whatever you want, as long as it was consensual, un-imposed, and not a conditional element to the survival of something else.
ps - loving your body as it is, within the norms of basic hygiene - is hotter than anything an 'esthetitienne' can do to you.
(god, I have an opinion on everything)