1) I hate the feeling of stubble. If my legs felt silky soft smooth for a week- rather than feeling that way for all of an hour (if that)- maybe I’d shave sometimes (heck, everybody likes a change of pace now and then, eh?). But they don’t. And nothing has changed that- not hot water, fresh razors, special razors, shaving cream, shaving gel, conditioner, etc..
2) I like the way it feels like it helps my feminist cred (not to say that you have to have hairy legs to be feminist, or shaving means you aren’t feminist- just that I like embracing the dreaded stereotype with pride). There’s something wonderful about not running from stupid “insults” (“We’re not like that! I wear makeup and a pushup bra and I’m not like them who I agree are so terrible!”).
3) I like showing people what lady leg hair looks like. Obviously, all women are different in terms of how it grows, how much, how dark, etc… . but I think the vast majority of people have no clue what grown-out female leg hair often looks like.
4) There is nothing like feeling a soft breeze rustle through your leg hair. Seriously. Guys have to take this for granted, I think, because it’s such a lovely tactile sensation for me.
5) I’m furry all over. I’ve always had hairy arms- very light hair, but a whole lot of it (and I’ve long loved it … I still remember the horror of learning my cousin shaved her arms). I don’t know, some part of me feels weird that I’d embrace my arm hair but not my leg hair. It’s not that you can’t remove some hair while leaving other hairy areas (heck, I already do that), but just that it feels natural and right for me when my limbs match.
6) I think it’s really pretty when the sun hits it a certain way. Kind of back-lit? Take the beauty of your body where you can find it, and I find my legs far more visually interesting and aesthetically pleasing when they’re furry than when they’re not.
7) I love how my leg hair is in the water. Literally can stare at the way it moves like pretty cilia underwater. Love how gorgeously soft it is after a hot shower.
8) I don’t have to spend money on razors or shaving cream. Less environmental impact with plastic disposable razors, too, if you’re into that sort of thing.
9) I don’t have to waste time shaving my legs. Side benefit: never running out of hot water, since my shower time is pretty well-organized around the washing and grooming I already do.
10) Never having to go “Oh dang it, I missed a spot!” or “How did I accidentally not shave this whole stripe of my leg?”.
11) I take joy in reppin’ for the fact that body hair is natural and not inherently feminine or masculine, and that there’s no good reason to demand women remove their hair, but not men.
12) No cuts from shaving!
13) It’s fun to shock people and rub it in their faces (not literally. Although … ). Bonus points: it makes my mom uncomfortable, which makes me happy.
14) It makes me feel more grounded and connected in my body. I just touch it and feel like it’s mine, a part of me. I’m sure lots of people see their body hair as something *on* them; I see it as an extension of myself.
15) The longer I go without shaving, the more pride I take in it (even though it takes no real effort on my part). Over 2 years, baby!
16) Fun to touch and play with.
17) Helps me judge people’s characters. (Hint: the more horror and need to comment on it, the harder I’m judging you. Or, as Alix Olson sings: It’s a weapon; use discretion).
18) Feels like taking a stand against the beauty standards that are imposed on us. And yes, I go along with some other imposed beauty standards- some because I’m too weak to fight ‘em, others because I like them and they don’t feel like an imposition at all. Point is, being told to shave feels like an oppressive beauty standard for me, and you pick your battles- you don’t have to fight them all.
19) It helps me feel more queer or visually queer (again, not sayin’ you have to have hairy legs to be queer- just that it helps me in my identification when I do).
20) I don’t think about it. Really, it very rarely crosses my mind, unless something happens to bring it up or I randomly get fascinated by it in the sunlight or underwater or rustling in the breeze. And yeah, that’s its own form of privilege- my hair’s light enough to not constantly draw attention, and I can take joy from weirding people out with it, rather than seeing it as hurtful criticism. If it was commented on all the time, or often treated with disgust, then it’d surely cross my mind more and maybe cause me more anguish and a desire to shave. But as it is now, it’s just a non-issue for me, so why the hell would I get rid of it?
