I began shaving my legs when I was in 5th grade. I don’t remember any conversation with my mother leading up to it, and I don’t know how I came to possess my razor and shaving creamā€”the only thing I remember was being so excited to get rid of my barely grown-in leg hair. At the time, I was eager to “do everything the grown-ups do,” which included shaving my legs every other day, just like my Mom. However, the allure of shaving gave way quickly, and it became a part of my routine that I dreaded. It took much too long, and it was annoying to keep my supply of razors and shaving cream stocked. Eventually, I wore pants almost every day to conceal my stubble.
That was, until recently. I had missed my weekly shave by a few days, and my leg hair was a little more grown out than usual. As I procrastinated, I thought: I hated shaving, and I liked not having smooth legs. So why was I doing it?
Where did the standard of baby-smooth legs come from, anyway?
Surprisingly, shaving as a practice gained traction during the late 1800s to prevent infestations of lice and parasites, especially for those living in close quarters with limited bathing access. Then, around the turn of the century, razor manufacturers recognized the untapped female market and began developing razors for women by promoting the idea that female body hair was both unsanitary and “unfeminine.” Over time, shaved legs went from a practical ritual to the bare minimum of women’s hygiene, with 96% of women reporting regular shaving by the 1960s.
Although the initial need for leg shaving has disappeared with improvements in public cleanliness, most women today shave their legs regularly. Why? The truth is that the pressure on women to conform to feminine behaviors and beauty standards has created a lucrative market for body care companies to exploit. It is incredibly profitableā€” the average woman will spend between $10,000 and $23,000 on hair removal over her lifetime on the never-ending purchase of razors, creams, waxes, and other treatments.
Nowadays, I let my leg hair grow as long as I like. Of course, I get the usual questions: why I’m doing this, if I’m trying to make a statement, or (my least favorite) what my boyfriend thinks. Honestly, though, as much as these bother me, it would bother me twice as much to change how I feel comfortable to conform to someone else’s judgments. If maintaining shaved legs makes you feel clean and comfortable, then girl, more power to you! But I hope that as we continue to evolve as a society, we can de-stigmatize women’s leg hair and break free of the standards other people create for our bodies; the most tremendous power is in the power to choose.