Body Hair
This is from an advice column from one week ago.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Feb/17/il/FP602170319.html
THE ADVICE DIVA
Don't bring up a hairy situation
By Tara Solomon
DEAR ADVICE DIVA:
A friend of mine is absolutely adorable, with one exception — she has an abnormal amount of noticeable body hair on her arms, the small of her back, and even along the side of her face, like sideburns.
I know that guys find her attractive, but I also know that behind her back they make fun of all her body hair.
I want to talk to her about it but it doesn't even seem to bother her. How can I bring this up to my friend without hurting her feelings? Should I?
—Stuck in a Hairy Situation
DEAR HAIRY SITUATION:
Ouch. This is a toughie. But you know what — in this case we would urge you to say nothing. Body hair is a cultural standard and even if she looks like Chewbacca it doesn't mean that she needs to de-hair herself just because some immature guys make fun of her. Why give her ammunition for self-hate? If she asks you, give her the name of a good waxing salon, but keep the anecdotes to yourself.
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And here's what I wrote to the Advice Diva
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This is in response to your column a few weeks back.
Someone wrote about a friend with a lot of body hair, and wanted to say something to her about it!
As a person with a lot of body hair, I get VERY IRRITATED when someone says "you're hairy". I want to yell at them "I KNOW THAT ALREADY!" Or usually, I tell them sarcastically "wow, I didn't know that!"
Do those people think I never looked in the mirror before? Or that I can't see what's on myself 24/7!
Some said I should shave! As if I had time to do all that, as well as wake up, go to work, go home, eat, communicate with friends and family, keep up with current events, sleep, etc. Once in a while, I'd shave my body hair but it's too time consuming. I know about those lazer treatments, but if I could pay for it, I would've done A LONG TIME AGO!
When someone keeps pointing out that I have a lot of body hair, all it does is make me too self-conscious and too insecure to take my shirt off in public, to go to the beach or the swimming pool, or go anywhere that has a locker room.
I'm not asking for advice here! I just want to tell that letter-writter that you don't have to tell someone that he/she got a lot of body hair. That person already knows that, and is probably been insecure about it for years, so shut the fuck up and leave that person alone.
Tired of Hair,
Honolulu, HI
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I usually avoid the body hair topic when talking to people, but someone's gotta say something, and it aint gonna be someone else, so I'll say it now!
