Sarah Wills The Specter of Excess

This article discusses the correlation between femininity and altering the female body to be accepted by society. It is a societal norm for women to shave or wax their legs, armpits, and bikini. Yet, it is completely acceptable for men to walk around in their natural hairy state and not have their sexuality or hygiene questioned. Actually, men are considered more masculine if they do have hair in certain places. This article describes women as not being comfortable in their own bodies due to the fact that in order to be considered mainstream and feminine, they have to remove undesirable hair. This in it of its self alienates women from their own bodies. Something very interesting that this article discusses is the way women from different ethnic backgrounds feel about their hair. Obviously, people from different countries have different genes and different types of hair. One women from the article felt as though she would be considered a “dirty Mexican” if she didn’t stay on top of her hair removal due to the fact that her body hair was thicker and darker than other women’s hair. White women seemed to be more privileged when it comes to not shaving because their hair is lighter than women from other races. In the work force, women of color that didn’t shave were at a disadvantage because their hair was more prominent and added “anther layer to the stigma”. Not only does body hair put women at a disadvantage, but it also puts women minorities at an even stronger disadvantage.

            Something very interesting that the article discusses are the stereotypes that come along with females who do not shave. Women who do not shave are considered dirty, feminists, hippies, lesbians, etc. Why should hair removal be indicative of such things? As the article states, hair removal industries, the media, and advertisements are the driving forces behind this social norm. They promote the ideals that women should not have hair on their legs, armpits, and genitals. These stereotypes are so deeply rooted that men question their partner’s sexuality when they decide to stop shaving. The students that stopped shaving for an experiment found that they enhanced other aspects of their femininity. For example, one girl began to wear more make up compensate for her hairiness.