I'm "Into the Bush"

Last year, one of the most talked-about fashion items was the Skims faux hair thong. It raises the question: Why buy a thong with a fake bush when you can just grow yours out? It also brings up the familiar debate surrounding body hair. You tend to see people who hate body hair because they think it's unattractive, unhygienic, and gets in the way. At the other end, there are people who think it's very attractive, that body hair is better, and that it's easier to maintain. The most neutral response is typically that people should do whatever they want with their bodies and have no other opinion. I find myself bordering between the neutral and the pro side of things. So let's unpack the misconceptions about body hair, its benefits for our health, my journey with body hair, and why neutrality, regardless of personal choice, is important.

Faux Bush from Skims

One of the most common misconceptions surrounding body hair is that it's unhygienic. Like all parts of the body, pubic hair should be washed. What you should use is a mild unscented soap on the mons pubis, which is the area above the genitals where a majority of the hair grows, and use a gentle form of exfoliation like a wash rag to help remove dead skin and oils. For people with vulvas, do not wash internally!!!!!! Soap should never go inside you, as it can cause irritation, an imbalance of the vaginal pH, and is not necessary, as it is a self-cleaning part of the body. Pubic hair serves as an extra layer of protection for the genital area, especially during sex. If it's not unhygienic for a man to have body hair, then it was never about hygiene.

Some people say that it's more attractive to be completely shaved. I feel that body hair represents maturity. I don't believe that being shaved is bad or that it means you're directly feeding into what I'm about to say, but I do think it's important to address why a sign of prepubescence like hairlessness is pushed as the ideal. You don't need to shave to be attractive, and people who pressure you into shaving aren't people you should be in connection with. If you feel the hair is too much, trimming is a great alternative to complete hair removal. No matter what, it should be your choice. What ties into this are misconceptions that body hair grows back thicker after it's shaved or that it grows back fast. Body hair is a reflection of your genetics, hormones, and age. For example, as I've started testosterone, my body hair is prominent and grows back faster as there has been a hormonal change. The hair may appear thicker as it grows back because shaving is a blunt-cutting method, which can make it appear thicker. It's for similar reasons that it's believed waxing makes the hair thinner; it's all perception.

I remember being about 8 or 9 years old, wondering when I would start shaving, since my mom and older sister did. It's sobering to think about my childhood self being so eager to start shaving, not just because of familial influence, but also because of the countless TV ads that made it seem so exciting. As if it were a representation of womanhood. Anytime I hear the song 'Venus', my brain automatically thinks of the razors, even to this day. I didn't have any body hair yet, but I was determined to practice. What's the best way to experiment as a kid? Use a Barbie doll. Those of us who played with dolls all had at least one that we cut the hair and drew on it, so the next step for me was to shave its legs.

It wasn't until I was around 13 that the idea of shaving started to feel unnecessary. What really solidified this and led me to completely stop shaving was when I became comfortable with my gender/expression. So, when I was 21, I stopped shaving consistently. The ingrown hairs, cuts, rashes from friction with clothes, and the fact that the alternatives were more painful for keeping the hair away. None of it felt worth it, and I wanted a way to feel more like myself. To take more control over how I felt toward my body. Through loving my own body, I've also found greater appreciation for others. Something I once felt so insecure about, spent years trying to keep from being visible, and feared rejection for having, turned out to be something I was a big fan of on myself and on my partners.

The real question is, when did "bush" come into fashion? So much so that Kim Kardashian would want her brand to make a thong with it? During the sexual revolution/feminist movements in the 1960s and 70s, we saw some of the first pro-bush discussions in the mainstream eye. However, body hair was considered extremely normal until around 1915, when the first women's razor was introduced. The popularization of this razor, sleeveless clothing options, and frankly, capitalist marketing made body hair become the "problem". There's been a resurgence in the popularity of pubic hair, especially in certain queer communities (love you lesbians). Through social media, these conversations around body hair spread faster and make people feel less pressure to conform to certain grooming expectations. I'm sure whoever at Skims came up with the thong knew that it would bring a lot of attention to the brand (which it did).

The original faux bush called the Merkin

Reaching a state of neutrality toward body hair is definitely a work in progress, as we all have been influenced from the earliest ages. I also think it's very normal to have personal preferences. What neutrality offers is a lower expectation of yourself and others. Less pressure and anxiety toward your appearance. It means understanding something's function, appreciating what it does for you, and moving forward. Neutrality in all aspects of the body, in my experience, has led to much less negative self-talk and, frankly, a deeper appreciation for how my body functions and keeps me moving through this life. Hair is a small part of the body as a whole; if I want it to, it can come and go. What I won't get caught up in anymore is whether someone else thinks I should have it.

Do you shave your body hair?

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• Yes
• No
• Sometimes