I hate this shit.
If I want to shave my legs, I will. And that doesn’t make me a pawn of the patriarchy; it makes me a feminist who feels like shaving my legs.
Yes, shaving my legs is altering my natural body. And so is makeup and hair dye and bras and tweezing your eyebrows and getting tattoos and piercings. So is every single beauty ritual you engage in. But shaving seems to be the one many latch on to as proof of oppression.
Some days I love my legs furry and others I love them smooth. I like my hair being pink, purple, and blue. I like my tattoos and piercings. I like altering my body into ways that make me feel authentic and honest. I like owning my body and being the only who decides what is and isn’t acceptable. You’re not allowed to shame me for my choices. You’re not allowed tot tell me I’m doing something wrong when I make a decision that affects only me. No, that’s not true. You have every right to tell me I’m wrong to do what I choose to my body. Just like I have every right to tell you to go fuck yourself.
I’m allowed to have furry legs while wearing makeup. I’m allowed to shave my legs while sporting wild eyebrows. I’m allowed to let my fur grow for some years and shave weekly during others. I’m allowed to have a mustache while wearing bright red lipstick. I’m allowed to dress in ways that annoy and offend you. I’m allowed to be visible in any way I find appropriate. I’m allowed to be fat and lumpy and rippled. And why am I allowed those things? Because it’s my body.
Body policing is body policing. And it’s bullshit. You’re not allowed to shame me for the choices I make. And seeing these messages on body acceptance sites? Hypocritical and crazy making. “You should love yourself…as long as you do the things I deem acceptable.”
It’s my body and I will do whatever the fuck I want to it in order to make it look however the fuck I want it to.
Dear Universe: I’m feisty today! Love, Heidi
(This isn’t only about shaving and body hair, obviously. It just happened to be an image I see a lot and I felt like getting all RAWR over.)
this!
Whenever I reblogged this I always thought of those who think they HAVE to shave, rather than those who choose to. But the commentary is lovely.
Reblogged for commentary.
I don’t like when the patriarchy tells me I need to look feminine and I don’t like it when other feminists (who should be my allies) tell me to not look feminine. No one is allowed to tell me how I choose to present my body is wrong. No one is allowed to body police.
Also, let’s talk about the use of the word ‘mutilate.’ Getting rid of hair is not fucking mutilating. I shave my legs not to be ‘deemed acceptable,’ I shave my legs because I don’t enjoy the feeling of hair on my legs. It’s that simple. Plus, I do like feeling my version of feminine, and that doesn’t make me any less of a feminist.
What could be more accurately considered ‘mutilation’ are things like tattoos and piercings. I like dying my hair bright red or bubblegum pink or teal and I have two visible tattoos—do you really think those things will make me more acceptable? They don’t. Do you really think those things will make me more feminine? Not in the traditional sense, but they make me feel good and feminine; they make me feel my definition of beautiful. Telling me not to do that is one of the least feminist and most hypocritical things you could do.
(Source: happy2bsad)
