Emma Corrin’s recent cover photo for a magazine, featuring visible armpit hair, has sparked a new round of discourse on body hair and societal norms. The image has drawn both praise and criticism, highlighting the ongoing debate surrounding the acceptability of natural body hair.
Despite the feminist movement’s efforts in the 1960s and 1970s to challenge traditional beauty standards, body hair continues to be a subject of scrutiny and judgment. Feminists, including those who identify as nonbinary or gender-nonconforming, often face negative reactions and are perceived as rejecting societal norms.
The author, a two-year veteran of not shaving, has grown accustomed to unsolicited comments about her visible leg and armpit hair. However, she emphasizes that she is not concerned about conforming to binary Western beauty standards and is not bothered by the opinions of others.
While the author acknowledges her privilege as a white person, she recognizes that women of color face additional layers of racism when it comes to body hair. She also points out that publicly transcending the gender binary is easier and safer for thin, white, conventionally attractive individuals like herself and Corrin, as they are less likely to face intense scrutiny.
The author argues that the current controversy over Corrin’s body hair demonstrates that society is not as progressive as it claims to be. Many women and gender-nonconforming individuals still feel pressure to conform to narrow beauty ideals, indicating that the work of feminist activists in the 1960s and 1970s is far from over.
The author concludes by calling for a more inclusive approach to beauty, urging individuals to focus on their own comfort and well-being rather than societal expectations. She encourages celebrities like Corrin and the general public to embrace their natural bodies, including their body hair, and to live their lives authentically.
