The “Hair removal” epidemic : The Biology and the History behind it.

-by Sharicka Zutshi (Founder)

I was 14 year old when the parlour lady looked at me dead in the eyes with a devilish smirk, lustfully looked at my bushy eyebrows and said “Aap eyebrows bhi kara lijiye”. I looked at my mother confused, but excited for this new experience because society, television ads and razor companies had fed me in with the impression that once the hair is G O N E my femininity and “natural beauty” would unleash. My mothers nod to it determined that although I was told that not a man should see my body as a woman till I am of age, it was okay to prepare for it. Practice makes perfect I guess?

Well I had been fed to the vampires because the parlour lady’s thirst for blood had only been quenched once my arms and legs were squeaky clean and so was my face. Let me tell you, NEVER HAVE I SUFFERED WORSE PAIN. Like i used to be a huge fan of wax. Candles and stuff, pretty fancy. But why the fuck was it being used for this kind of torture. It is the equivalent of lynching. Next day at swimming practice, I only stared at my friend in contempt as his comfort in his underwear for a swimming costume with a full healthy range of hair displayed on this legs only made the chlorine from the water sting more on my bare pores.

Not to say that men don’t suffer from this hair removal propaganda, that has become more “exploit self esteem for corporate interests” than sexist or discriminatory in recent times. All the more reason we need to stand up against this together.

Now for the facts,

Let me give you a brief history

Shaving started from the time men and women were in the most primitive state. Cavemen shaved their heads and bodies not for vanity, but for survival. So that in battle the opponent couldn’t pull on anything. Great reasoning.

We have the Roman Empire that said “ If you is clean and rich, you is hairless”. Talk about Peer Pressure.

Well Cleopatra took it to the level where she and other women shaved all their hair, including the hair on their head. I mean it is hot in Egypt.

Then my favourite queen ELIZABETH THE 1ST comes up and says N O P E. Girls let’s shave our faces to distinguish ourselves from these boys but like body is up to you. I mean it is cold in England.

But since the 1700’s the propaganda for men to shave their faces and women to shave everything has been fully sold for corporate benefit.

Primary arguments include:

“What use does it have anyway?”

Hair is everywhere, it has different uses. Your eyebrows prevent sweat and stuff from falling into your eyes so it does not matter, biologically, if they are on fleek. But some fleek never did anyone wrong. Except the excruciating pain. Mustaches are just rough. Apparently women and below young boys don’t get to have little wings for their noses. Its a secondary sexual character tho. That’s pretty much it. Up for personal jurisdiction. The stuff on your arms and legs stands up when it’s cold for a reason. Those erectile muscles are just trying to look out for you by gathering up some more heat energy.

Now let me tell you something, both men and women. Evolution is not an idiot. If the hair on our bodies was vestigial, it would probably be gone in a few generations. But the thing is, Shaving your pubic hair is like laying out your genitals bare for the germs to celebrate thanksgiving on. Its motive was to save our body’s most delicate parts (arguably) from friction and infection. Look it up.

About underarms, if you think it reduces ‘sweating’ boy oh boy do i have news for you that removing hair does not reduce sweat glands I REPEAT REMOVING HAIR DOES NOT REDUCE SWEAT GLANDS. However it may result in less sweat stains. The bacteria will breed there nevertheless. It’s like Miami to them. Optimum temperature to tan for the summer in bacterialand.

Arms, Legs and Faces doesn’t really make a huge difference either way. You do you girl/boy/ whatever you want to be its 2018.

The funny thing is as humans we are a very privileged biological species and practically control our environment so like YOU DO YOU HONEY.

So do it whatever way you’re comfortable, not just because “people judge” or “ what will she/he say” because they are don’t deserve you if they don’t accept you. Someone has got to start the rebellion for it to become a norm right? V for VEET ain’t got nothing on you.

YOUR hair, YOU can choose to wax/ shave/ comb / plait or whatever you want to do with it.

To all the intellectuals that mocked me for my exceptional keratin reserves, this one’s for you.