What I Learned When I Stopped Shaving
It’s about more than just the hair.
I stopped shaving during the pandemic. I was single, tired, and not seeing anyone outside of my roommates. It didn’t seem necessary. I kept shaving my armpits for a while, but gave up on that as well.
I started dating, but it was long distance and my boyfriend didn’t care, so I wasn’t worried. When we finally started going out again, it was November and I realized I could get away with it for a few more months (I lived in Minnesota at the time).
By the time spring of 2021 came around, I didn’t even have a razor any more. That’s when I decided to stop shaving forever — out of sheer laziness and not wanting to buy a new razor (or shave my very hairy legs).
What started as laziness turned into a lifestyle choice, but I didn’t want to be seen as too radical or not girly enough. Then I realized something: why am I worrying so much about it?
As a white, pretty, curvy girl, I understand that I have a remarkable amount of privilege. People are a lot more forgiving when you’re blonde and therefore any rebellion can be interpreted as whimsy. There is the downside of being written off as a man-hating feminist, but frankly, that’s a risk I was (and am) willing to take.
