Comments on: When Did Women Start Shaving Their Pits?

By: krissthesexyatheist

krissthesexyatheist — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:36:39 +0000

I’m a 42y/0 Nor Cal hippie dude and for the first time ever ever…I’m thinking about going the bald, down there (and everywhere else except my waist length hair. But i have always thought that if women didn’t want to do it, then they shouldn’t bow down to societies pressure (the cool guys don’t mind either way). awesomeness.

Kriss

By: Cat

Cat — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:51:22 +0000

The ‘bikini wax’ was started about the same time as those very tiny thong suits came into style. In old-style bikinis, the front extends almost to the leg creases – covering most of the ‘garden’. The tiny thongs, however, cover only the ‘Mounds of Venus’ – requiring a bit of judicious ‘weeding’. Let’s face it, looking like you have some furry little animal caught in your suit is a bit unsightly ;)

By: looloolooweez

looloolooweez — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:31:27 +0000

Body hair removal of all kinds has gone in & out of fashion for thousands of years & many reasons & for both sexes. However I’m more interested in when/why shaving the “naughty bits” became popular again in Western countries in the 20th century. Most accounts I’ve read seem to blame that (and the fake boobs boom) on ’80′s porn, but I’ve also seen the opinion that it first got started in the ’70′s as a backlash against the hairy hippie stereotype.

By: T. Sunshine Love

T. Sunshine Love — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 01:56:27 +0000

I knew it was fashion. How lame. I hope this fad dies as suddenly as it started. Women’s body hair is no more unsightly than men’s. All just more ways to make us feel bad about ourselves so we spend more money on their products. Slaves to fashion, indeed. All bow to the smooth skinned masters.

By: em

em — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:24:33 +0000

i must admit, i’m not surprised it’s popular in the middle east to remove body hair- the egyptians were doing that for thousands of years.

By: dooflotchie

dooflotchie — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:27:46 +0000

Well, I have to admit I first started shaving just because it was what women are supposed to do, or at least I believed that growing up. I’ve stuck with it because I’m more comfortable without some “objectionable body hair” being pinched and pulled by my clothes!

‘Iâ€™m severely tempted to find out whoever patented that waxing after my entire national identity and give them a little piece of my mind.
And by â€œLittle Piece of My Mindâ€ I mean â€œBig Capoeira Kickâ€.’

Hehe. I LOL’ed!

By: Steven

Steven — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:46:03 +0000

SHH!! my boss will hear you!

By: Logan

Logan — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:14:03 +0000

Great post. I dated someone for a while who worked for a UK company that marketed hair removal products – he said his biggest market was the Middle East. Now I know why.

By: Hyacinth

Hyacinth — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:21:04 +0000

Been missing you too, Ian! See you around Facebook!

Thanks, Steven! You must spend as much time on Mental_Floss as I do. (Probably too much!)

By: Fruppi

Fruppi — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:51:56 +0000

I have to go through a lot of explaining to my German students when they realize that many German women don’t shave (the pits are usually what gets asked about) as much as Americans. I always just pick a boy who gets grossed out by the idea and ask him how hairy his armpits are and why doesn’t he shave them? That usually shuts them up enough for me to explain that they’re dealing with the concept of a different culture with different cultural practices.