Ask lots of women like me, who lived through the 1960s, and
they’ll tell you flat out that human hair is considerably more than an
enigmatic mix of melanin and water, trace elements, lipids and proteins.
Indeed, in all its myriad variations, hair is downright political.
And though some people seldom think of it that way, at least in the US , what we
choose to do to our hair - and the often love-hate relationship that we have
with it - is likely to be seen as an eloquent, very public statement of our ideological
views. In fact, the way we choose to present our hair to the world can be construed as a
telling signifier of where we stand on the continuum between ultra-repressed
conservative and raging lefty let-it-all-hang-out
progressive. Need a bit of corroboration of that premise? Think about the 60s
rock musical Hair, a long-haired homage to the burgeoning hippie
counter-culture of the era. Wildly popular on Broadway and beyond, it was viewed
as a symbol of a particular political ideology, just as the so-called “Afro” hair
style, popular among blacks, was seen as a signifier of black political power and
pride during roughly the same time.
Even now, particularly for some of our lesbian sisters as
well as for women of color, whether the hair that crowns us is long or cropped short,
straight or curly, whipped into submission by chemicals or heat or worn “locked”
or “natural”, just as it emerges from the scalp, hair is thought to proclaim
more about the wearer’s social activism and comfort with the authentic self than
any other aspect of personal appearance.
What’s more, like it or not, human hair adorns us in varied
manifestations, festooning sundry locales on the human body, which brings me,
at last, to my point.
With all of the die-hard hoopla about head hair, regardless of length or texture, whether “virgin” or
permed, uncolored or dyed, these days at least, the hair on a woman’s head seems
far less problematic than the coarser, more wiry nether-strands that make their
home in her crotch.
It shouldn’t come as news to anyone in the US that – at least since the mid-nineties
- we’ve been undergoing something of a cultural come to Jesus moment when it comes to women’s pubic hair. Bush or
baby-bare, or any configuration in between, to keep it or not can be a pivotal
question these days. And while I vociferously defend the right of ANYONE to do
what she will with her body, the broader implications of a cultural norm that
privileges the wholesale balding of vulva makes me wonder.
Truth be told, over the last several decades, much has been
made about the apparent inconvenience of women’s pubic hair. Bolstered in large
part by the visual porn industry, pubic hair has fallen into considerable
disrepute fostering notions that choosing to keep one’s muff somehow labels a
woman as unkempt. Rough. Coarse. Unclean, even - as sad, repressive, and wholly
unwarranted as that might seem.
Depending upon whom you ask, the genesis for this phenomenon
lies at the doorstep of 7 very enterprising sisters from Brazil – the Padilha sisters –who introduced the
procedure known now as the Brazilian Wax in their Manhattan salon in the late 1980s. Widely
accepted as the most thorough method of removing pubic hair, the procedure
involves the application of hot wax to the pubic area. The subsequent removal
of the cooled, solidified stuff takes the hair with it – snatching it directly
from the follicles themselves leaving a smooth, naked, baby-soft vulva in its
wake.
Proponents of the process praise its perceived benefits: A sleek look and
feel. Skin that’s cool and clean. And for those inclined to the tantalizing glories
of oral sex, the benefits seem obvious, both for the giver as well as the
receiver. And as far as the public health implications are concerned, to the
public good, there’s been a dramatic drop in the number of itchy, scratchy, creep-crawly
pubic louse infestations since the fervor over Brazilian waxes exploded on the
scene. On the other hand, there’s been an acute rise in the frequency of dangerously
septic hair follicles attributed to the rigorous process involved in going bare down there.
Indeed, for those of us who thrive on the complexity of
argument, there’s more. For example, detractors of the hairless look include
women and men alike who stand firm in their conviction that grown women’s vulvas
were meant to sport their coarse and furry locks. In fact, while science still
isn’t entirely sure of its purpose, pubic hair is thought to serve as a
natural form of valuable protection for our genitalia. If nothing else, it
creates a cushion against friction from clothing and other body parts. It’s
also thought to enhance the staying power of “pheromones,” those naturally
occurring chemical compounds that help in attracting a mate.
But even sans absolute scientific proof of its purpose
there’s this: Politically speaking, the cultural imperative to render our
vulvas hairless can be seen as an effort to infantilize women, making us seem
childlike (less empowered?.. less intimidating…? more easily controlled?) than full-grown
women oughta be. And given the notoriously problematic relationship patriarchal
societies have had with the notion of female agency – sexual and otherwise –
the politics embedded amongst those strands of pubic hair can’t easily be
ignored.
Still, regardless of how one feels about the issue, a little
contextualization might be instructive here. In certain Hindu groups, Middle
Eastern cultures, and in the practice of Islam as well, removal of women’s body
hair, including the hair on their vulvas, has been embraced as a timeless
necessity. As far back as the middle ages, women in many European cultures
removed their pubic hair, primarily to avoid infestation by lice.
And of course, waxing as it’s done today hasn’t always been
the method of removal. In ancient Egypt the process involved a gluey concoction
of oil and golden honey. Alternatively, and a lot less tastily one imagines, the
ancient Romans used a painfully tenacious blend of resin and pitch.
So exactly who ARE these women who wax???... Who DON’T???
As we often do when we assume that ALL people of color feel
the same way on any given subject, some folks want to broad-brush the lesbian
community by assuming that ALL lesbians align themselves either pro or con
about whether the balding of one’s vulva is a desirable thing.
But the truth is
that lesbians vary widely in their viewpoint on this, just as straight women
do. And bi, trans and intersex women. And white women. And tall, short, fat, and
thin women. Women of color. Get my drift here?
On the other hand, while age isn’t necessarily a factor in
making the decision to keep or get rid of one’s pubic hair, interestingly,
though, there’s some anecdotal evidence to suggest that older women and men as
well are far more inclined to be respectful of a partner’s decision to keep it furry
and natural.
Additionally, and as the urge to imitate would have it, increasing numbers of men are opting for ditching the crotch hair as well, even while the illustrious female bush is making something of a retro resurgence - a kind of inevitable push-back from women who've gone bare and are anxious to reclaim some semblance of their natural, lush bush-scape once again.
Additionally, and as the urge to imitate would have it, increasing numbers of men are opting for ditching the crotch hair as well, even while the illustrious female bush is making something of a retro resurgence - a kind of inevitable push-back from women who've gone bare and are anxious to reclaim some semblance of their natural, lush bush-scape once again.
At the end of the day, the choice is a decidedly personal
one, made for myriad reasons it seems, not the least of which is that many
smart, assertive independently-thinking women simply just prefer one look over
the other; one sensation over the other.
But here’s the thing. As my grandmother - and yours, most
probably - used to say, variety truly is
the spice of life… And political or not, beautifully self-expressive options currently
abound for one’s singular chosen appearance downtown. So be creative. Be bold.
Satiny smooth or muffed out in all your curly tendrilled glory, I’d urge you to
be proud of your choice.
I’d also urge you to be acutely aware of your reasons for
making it.
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finally I hope you read this and I hope my words come out as clear as my soul can give rise to them. I have always struggled with this society because I know that the relationships involving same, bi and trans gender affection is welcome before the giver of our breath of life. They are found not to be a sin nor evil and are part of the New Covenant. What I do not understand is why don't we educate unto this truth build communities that reinforce the things that the giver of our breath of life has provided freely. Instead we wait for a City, State or Government to do what is already been given unto us. We still are in the ice age because the obvious it still snows and ices. Which means we are behind times and it is quite disturbing that while the only King who gave His only begotten Son also gave us a order new that requires repentance, redemption and the renouncement of evil. Understanding that evil is not to work the knowledge of good. Should be of value to the adage unto they who really are honest with themselves in their plight to stand as viable and accountable unto life eternal. With something to present unto the King found within. And being with someone of the same gender or trans gender who believes with you is one hell of a gift to behold and gather unto oneself. That all the while we are made in his very image means a living soul as opposed to heterosexual identity. But then again the words there is neither male nor female in Sacred absolutely means nothing to many because they lack the intelligence to understand that Immanuel The Messiah is the only begotten son Sacred. That King Sacred means for us regardless of who we prefer to be with, eat, drink live in shelter or not return unto He complete lacking nothing. Thanks for this blog and understand I use the term Gay=Blessed | SBTGAC which means Same, bi, trans gender affectionate community. I value you and wish you blessing 2014 that you may rise to the validating of the commands given unto you by Sacred and the gift to refrain from gluttony (which is the adding to or the taking of the spoken words of Sacred) is one of them.
ReplyDeleteHeartfelt thanks for your thoughtful commentary; so nice to know when readers reflect on what's shared here. I wish you well.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. I think you are an awesome instructor!
ReplyDeleteI think sometimes Christianity and religions of all walks of life become just too uptight and full of themselves. We can't persecute people because of who they are, where they're from, the color of their skin, or their sexual orientation, yes I know what the book of Leviticus says, but we must remember that we are all children of God, and the same bible says love your neighbors as you love yourself, it also says love all people, not just some people, All people, and lets not forget, Judge not lest ye be judged. I may have some issues with the Christian union of a same sex couple, however, I feel perfectly fine with the relationship. I feel that once its not being pushed on me or my children, no problem.
ReplyDelete