As people living in 2021, we like to describe ourselves as modern, open-minded about subjects like equal rights, racism, the LGBTQA+ community. But with no doubt whatsoever, we keep encouraging the idea of the „modern woman”, whose skin must be smooth, with no sight of body hair.
So, when did shaving become the necessity our society keeps up?
Even though the practice of hair removal dates back to the Egyptian era, it has been popularised in the early 1900s. Numerous sources tried to profit from women’s desire to fit into labels, turning them into loyal and regular clients, such as the women’s fashion industry, men’s hair removal industry, and women’s magazine industry.
The first-ever magazine which advertised hair removal was „Harper’s Bazaar”, in 1914. Gilette also launched in 1915 the first safety razor available for women called „the Milady Décolleté”, perfect for bare underarms, their ads showing body hair as something “unsightly” and “objectionable”. Moreover, during World War II, there was a shortage of nylon, which lead to more women going bare-legged, more razors being sold, more shaved legs, preparing them for the introduction of the mini skirt in the 1960s. In 1946, the fashion industry started selling bikinis. This release made trimming pubic hair the new concept of the „modern woman”, even famous magazines like Hugh Hefner’s Playboy promoted clean-shaved women as the ideal type.
Despite all the intention shaving provided, feminists protested during the 60s-70s by promoting the natural body as the best one. This idea didn’t last for long, being interrupted by the invention of waxing, which revolutionized and replaced the safety razor in many households.
All these years, many different ways to remove unwanted hair have been discovered, making it accessible and variable to any preference. Also, not shaving, sugaring or waxing is normal and liked more by some women nowadays
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Ultimately, you shouldn’t let yourself feel imposed by the concept of the „ideal woman” created centuries ago by companies to profit from this gender’s insecurities. Embrace your natural body if that’s what you like, remove the hair if you love the smooth touch.
Editor- Melissa Parv
Writer-Cristea Larisa-Mihaela, Bucharest, Theoretical Highschool”Alexandru Ioan Cuza”
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