Requiring Women to Shave their Legs?

[alexandria674]

I don't buy the whole "shaving is a recent trend" stuff. Shaving became a thing in 1915 and has followed women into this century so obviously there is something more to this then a silly fad. As hemlines began to raise, the leg hair came off and obviously some people thought this was attractive so it stayed. Is there a man out there who likes the look of a woman's hairy leg? Shaving may go away but seeing how the market has catered to smooth and soft legs, it won't go away anytime soon. Sure, there is a double standard with the sexes and leg hair but so are other things in terms of a man and woman's appearance. Also, if we look closer into history, women shaving their legs may not be such a new thing, how do you account for Grecian statues of hairless women?

There are many jobs that require their employees to maintain a certain type of hygene, this includes body hair. If you don't want to shave, then don't take the job. It may not be fair, but then again what is in life?

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Girl......I don't know where you're living or how old you are....but if you think leg shaving is a recent thing you need to get in touch with the times ( sorry if that sounds rude but it is the truth). In the year 2009 girls are expected and preferred to keep more than there legs touchable. You may want to hit the local convenience store and pick up a magazine or two.

Again......I'm not tring to be harsh..... but hair is (and yes that hair too... has been) out for a while.

And that right there is where I have a problem. Nobody should be touching my legs but me. I would never go up to a guy's face and start caressing it. Maybe I'm crazy, but when I am out and about, I look at people's faces. That is the polite place to look. I am not staring at their legs to see if they shaved or not. I suppose I might notice hairy pits if they were glaringly obvious but can't think of a time I have. If somebody is staring at my legs, they are the rude one. (IMO)

 

[Camicar]

the only way it would be a problem would be if the women had extremely thick, dark hair that brought attention to their legs. I can honestly say that I have never noticed anyone like that.

I had a coworker like that.

She was an old-fashioned feminist in the sense that in her mind feminism = hairy legs and armpits, no deodorant, no make up, etc. She was constantly patting herself on the back for being a real feminist who ignored fashion and its' "rules that oppress and objectify women."

We had no clothing/hygiene rules, so there was no reason to wear pantyhose other than personal choice. So there she was with hairier legs than the average man with panythose on under a short skirt. It was really unattractive and it didn't seem to make much sense to me to complain about the sexualization of women and wear short skirts and to complain about women's oppression thru fashion and wear pantyhose.

Finally one day, I asked her why she wore panythose. Her answer, "Because it's unprofessional to have bare legs."

And I'm sitting there thinking, "It's professional to have two legs full of sworling long black hair smushed under pantyhose?"

Ugh. It was 20 years ago and I can still see that mess in my mind's eye.

 

[Feralpeg]

I don't buy the whole "shaving is a recent trend" stuff. Shaving became a thing in 1915 and has followed women into this century so obviously there is something more to this then a silly fad. As hemlines began to raise, the leg hair came off and obviously some people thought this was attractive so it stayed. Is there a man out there who likes the look of a woman's hairy leg? Shaving may go away but seeing how the market has catered to smooth and soft legs, it won't go away anytime soon. Sure, there is a double standard with the sexes and leg hair but so are other things in terms of a man and woman's appearance. Also, if we look closer into history, women shaving their legs may not be such a new thing, how do you account for Grecian statues of hairless women?

There are many jobs that require their employees to maintain a certain type of hygene, this includes body hair. If you don't want to shave, then don't take the job. It may not be fair, but then again what is in life?

Recent is a subjective term. It seems a lot more recent to me than to you because you are probably younger. I know that most of my older female relatives did not shave. It really doesn't matter. It is a personal decision. I shave my legs, but I certainly have no problem with a woman making a different decision.

As for the Grecian statues, I bet it would be hard to carve hair out of marble.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

And for the record, I never said that I would refuse to comply. There are grooming rules at every company, sometimes I think they are silly, but I agree to them.

Again, I'm not sure how I feel about this. I have just never heard of a company requiring this. I still think that if women are expected to, men should be. Men's hairy legs are ten times grosser to me than a woman's!

 

[monkey68]

I don't buy the whole "shaving is a recent trend" stuff. Shaving became a thing in 1915 and has followed women into this century so obviously there is something more to this then a silly fad. As hemlines began to raise, the leg hair came off and obviously some people thought this was attractive so it stayed. Is there a man out there who likes the look of a woman's hairy leg? Shaving may go away but seeing how the market has catered to smooth and soft legs, it won't go away anytime soon. Sure, there is a double standard with the sexes and leg hair but so are other things in terms of a man and woman's appearance. Also, if we look closer into history, women shaving their legs may not be such a new thing, how do you account for Grecian statues of hairless women?

There are many jobs that require their employees to maintain a certain type of hygene, this includes body hair. If you don't want to shave, then don't take the job. It may not be fair, but then again what is in life?

How do you expect them to carve hair into a statue? I don't think male statues had hair either.

As for hygiene, why is it hygienic for men to have hairy legs and pits, but not for women? I really don't get the hygiene argument. Are you saying that a man that doesn't shave their legs is not clean?

I feel like not shaving my legs for the rest of the summer now because of this thread, just to annoy the people that look at my legs to see if they're clean shaven or not

 

[alexandria674]

How do you expect them to carve hair into a statue? I don't think male statues had hair either.

As for hygiene, why is it hygienic for men to have hairy legs and pits, but not for women? I really don't get the hygiene argument. Are you saying that a man that doesn't shave their legs is not clean?

I feel like not shaving my legs for the rest of the summer now because of this thread, just to annoy the people that look at my legs to see if they're clean shaven or not

In an office enviroment, when do you see men wear sleevless shirts that a woman wears? When do men show their legs in the office? Not counting casual Fridays. A woman how can wear a skirt and in some cases, wear the sleevless shirt in those places. Also, if the focus is on the historical part of shaving, the fact that I showed the grecian example, take a look in the later history that as a woman's hems went up the hair went off, what started that trend? Was it that a woman's leg hair was not desirable to see when she first flashed her legs?

Also, it would be interesting to see a woman go the entire summer and maybe fall without shaving. Wear a skirt, shorts, whatever and flash the gams. I wonder what a person's face would show. It's a challenge.

 

[AlleyKat]

I am 57 years old. I am well aware of when women began shaving their legs. My mother's generation did not do so.

Horrors!

When it comes to body hair on women, I find opinions of outright disgust laughable!
The appearance of it hasn't seemed to have bothered men for thousands of years, at least not where procreation was concerned!

The young(er) women/girls who feel they HAVE to shave EVERYTHING in order to be accepted/loved will be the same women in decades to come who will wise up to the fact that in the grand scheme of life, body hair is a non-issue!

 

[teskak]

But if you get them waxed to the knee only, it is only showing the bits not covered by a skirt / shorts with the more 'personal' bits left as they come.

You then only have to put up with the inconvenience once every 4 -5 weeks, ie 3 times over the whole summer. As far as any potential embarrasment or personal challenge with the therapist, well they have seen "everything" usually many times a day.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Wow. Quite the debate.

The company for which I work, does not allow women to wear sleeveless tops, or open toed shoes. It does not allow jeans, or capris, or overly short (open to local management determinations) skirts/dresses. The dress code seems to be aimed at women, but women are the primary employees. No ears full of earrings in some positions (care staff) and no obvious tattoos.

Now, for the shaving bit? If a man is required to be clean shaven on his face, then of course a woman should be clean shaven on her face too. :yes:

If a woman is required to have her legs shaved, then do it, or cover them up, or don't take the job. If men wear clothing that display their legs, then yep, shave those furry stumps!

I was on a plane Friday and a man across the aisle from me was dressed in shorts. His legs were so very hairy (dark hair and thick) they did draw at least, casual attention.

Same for armpits. If you are going to show them, regardless of gender, and there is a company rule addressing the shaving of bodily hair, then shave or leave the company.

It's really that simple. If you don't like the rules, leave. Or, if you honestly can quantify how those rules discriminate against one group of employees, then stay and launch the battle.

FTR, I don't shave my legs, but you'd not notice. I wouldn't be caught dead in a skirt or dress, nor would I ever wear shorts to work. I also almost never wear shorts in public, preferring the crop pant or capri length (severe scarring). So, it's not a personal issue for me.

I don't find the introduction of sexual influence to be appropriate in the workplace. If clean shaven, nylon clad legs are seen as a sexual connotation, then that thought (or requirement) has no place in the work environment.

That is where the feminists of old/yore got their knicks in a twist. The introduction of what was perceived as sexual-as requirements for women in the workplace. It did get distorted (as described in an earlier post) and therefore lost most/all of its impact when women who did not fully understand (or agree) with the theoretical underpinnings began to pick and choose the bits they found useful and disregard the rest. Hairy legs encased in nylon is not a feminist theory "application."

 

[tink_n_pooh]

IMHO I fnd it pretty gross to see a woman with hairy legs and/or hairy pits I'm not normally checking out women's legs and I can notice an unshaved legs pretty easily. Stuble is gross and if you are sporting some why would you go out in shorts or a skirt? I guess I'm just crazy but IMHO... ewww

My grandmother is 95 and she shaved her legs and pits... actually my aunt still helps her shave her pits when its needed. At her age its not too often but she has been known to do it.

 

[Feralpeg]

Just to throw another wrench into this odd thread, I was talking to my daughter about this. She said that the trend with college kids these days is to shave everywhere on their bodies (EVERYWHERE). She said the guys all talk about this. They call it manscaping.

Not only does it sound really inconvenient, but I can't imagine how much it must itch when it grows back in. I guess I am really out of things. I don't understand the need for this or that it is a good idea. What an odd world we live in!

 

[MaumeeMom]

PARTIAL
As for the Grecian statues, I bet it would be hard to carve hair out of marble.

PARTIAL
How do you expect them to carve hair into a statue? I don't think male statues had hair either.

This is a little OT but have you ever seen classical sculpture up close? Some of the artists were able to get details as small as eyelashes onto their works.

I love art history and have been brought to tears by the beauty of works by some of the Renaissance masters. Some works are so life like you expect to see them breathing.

There are many websites with images and the history of art, please check them out if you haven't already. Better yet try to get to a museum and experience works in person.

We have some great museums here in Ohio, check out: http://www.toledomuseum.org/

 

[pperfectmom]

Girl......I don't know where you're living or how old you are....but if you think leg shaving is a recent thing you need to get in touch with the times ( sorry if that sounds rude but it is the truth). In the year 2009 girls are expected and preferred to keep more than there legs touchable. You may want to hit the local convenience store and pick up a magazine or two.

Again......I'm not tring to be harsh..... but hair is (and yes that hair too... has been) out for a while.

I was a history major in college, your idea of "recent" is probably far different than mine. I totally understand if some women want to spend a lot of their time being "smooth" but please don't think it's gross or unsanitary for those women that don't. Frankly, with two small kids, I barely have time to comb my hair once a day. Being clean shaven is the fathest thing from my mind.

 

[Disney Doll]

Personally, I think a place of business has a right to tell their employees what the appearance and behavior code is expected for their company. I also think employees have the option of not working there if they disagree with it.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Just to throw another wrench into this odd thread, I was talking to my daughter about this. She said that the trend with college kids these days is to shave everywhere on their bodies (EVERYWHERE). She said the guys all talk about this. They call it manscaping.

Not only does it sound really inconvenient, but I can't imagine how much it must itch when it grows back in. I guess I am really out of things. I don't understand the need for this or that it is a good idea. What an odd world we live in!

To address this post: I have done this and have male friends who have. When I was younger I was extremely self conscious about the hair on my arms and would wax them weekly. I don't have darker hair than anybody else, nor thicker hair on my arms, but for whatever reason I developed a real hang up about it.

Later on, when I worked for Disney Entertainment, I shaved pretty much everything and so did most of my male friends. It just made things more comfortable for us. A lot of it had to do with the heat. Now that I'm out of entertainment, I've gone back to just shaving my legs.

Disney Doll: You're right, a place of business has every right to tell their employess how to dress, and if it's that important to you you don't have to work there. But that doesn't mean that you have to like every dress code aspect that your business enforces, as long as you are willing to comply. It also doesn't mean you can't have a conversation about it. I just found it very interesting because it's not anything I had ever heard of or thought of.

Another interesting note is that in this business, shorts are required for men and women if it is over a certain temperature, although I don't think the boss would throw a fit if somebody refused.

 

[koima]

I'm glad I work with my (neatly bearded) husband and not for a company with a strict grooming code. I have fine hair, very pale, maybe 1/4" long, and I rarely wear skirts or shorts. I don't shave when I wear them, either, but I have never had someone look at me with disgust at my grooming when I do!