Can it EVER be socially acceptable to have hairy armpits? Woman who gave up shaving debates prickly

[Jazzy]

Like it or not, there are few sights more arresting than a woman with a hairy armpit. The unfettered growth of female underarm and leg hair is considered one of the ultimate social taboos, dismissed as the kind of eccentric behaviour that should only adopted by hippies.



But while as a society we are used to removing all our body hair, one woman has decided to challenge the notion that women must be hair-free to be happy.



Graduate student Emer O'Toole from Dublin decided to stop shaving for good 18 months ago when she came to the conclusion that too much pressure is put upon women to conform to what she calls 'artificial gender norms'.



Appearing on This Morning to debate the prickly subject, Ms O'Toole admitted that she started shaving at the age of 14, simply because it was expected of her. But now she hopes to challenge - and change - such expectations.



'I started examining my own relationship with my body, and my body hair,' she told Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langford in this morning's discussion.



'Why did I feel I had to shave? I thought back to when I first started shaving. When I sprouted hair at 14, I didn't think, will I shave or not?. I just knew I had to shave it off.'

Appearing alongside Ms O'Toole on the sofa was salon owner Michelle Devine, who was said to be 'disgusted' by body hair.



A staggering 80 per cent of the viewers agreed with her, as a live vote carried out during the debate saw an overwhelming majority of those calling in say they were horrified by the idea of a woman with hairy legs and armpits.

Read more (includes video): http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...y-acceptable-hairy-armpits.html#ixzz1u0ARNsQU



Do you find this disgusting?

 

[DrLeftover]

I suppose you're not talking about mainland Europe.

 

[Temerit]

Yeah I was going to say that's the norm in many parts of Europe. However I prefer the shaved look, and as a male have considered shaving my armpits as well. I just think it looks better.

 

[Jazzy]

I think it looks nasty and smelly! I can't even imagine her in a bathing suit with her hairy legs and bikini area!

What I do find odd about this is the fact she plucks her eyebrows. Why do that when you're going for the ape look?

 

[Sinon]

I prefer shaven simply because it's easier to maintain hygiene when there's not an asston of hair there.

 

[Cranos]

I suppose you're not talking about mainland Europe.

Yeah I was going to say that's the norm in many parts of Europe. However I prefer the shaved look, and as a male have considered shaving my armpits as well. I just think it looks better.

Wowowowowow guys, that's just not true at all. Women shave here just as much as they do in the US and trust me, we think it's gross as well.

 

[Temerit]

Damn, my bad Cranos.



Although, I'd bet a lot of that could be a generational thing too. Perhaps a generation or two ago that was true.

 

[Katatonia]

No. Just...no.