My male partner has told me over and over, “I really don’t care whether you shave your legs or not.” I appreciate this, but I’ve known for years that I shave my legs not to be attractive to him but to avoid being judged by other women. I know that building confidence in my natural body will take time. It makes me feel bolder to remember that for thousands and thousands of years, women didn’t give a second thought to their leg hair (the way men continue to do today).
Democracy Dies in Darkness
I want to stop shaving my legs. But can I overcome the societal pressure?
I shave to avoid being judged by other women
Perspective by Brittany Long Olsen
March 14, 2021 at 12:23 p.m. EDT