I didn't jump right on The Walking Dead bandwagon. it had been a popular show on AMC for a few years before I started watching, but once I did - I was hooked. This isn't really an article about The Walking Dead; it's not an review or anything. I just like to think about the concept: humans pitted against the elements, piecing together our progressive survivalist nature with what shards of society remain intact. It was the perfect show until my second watch-through of the first season when ill-fated anti-hero Shane and confused, heartbroken Lori take their first tumble through the underbrush. Shane passionately tackles her to the ground, Lori raises her arms seductively over her head - ! And there they were: her glowing, pristine, white-as-snow, hairless armpits.
At first I sustained an inward chuckle. If our conventional civilization fell apart and my priority became protecting my own and my child's life, the first thing I would do is stop worrying about my body hair. Since fifth grade when I really started to develop, I endured the constant battle to keep my legs as smooth and soft as I believed a woman's should be, or to shave my armpits without the sting and hassle of razor burn. But here is badass momma Lori Grimes, fending for her own existence, and she has the time, resources, and inclination to shave?
The more I thought about it the more annoyed I became. There are only two reasons for this oversight from how I see it: either the director, producer, etc hadn't noticed the actress's unusually clean armpits because Hollywood-ized versions of women have tricked us into seeing them as inherently glamorous and vulnerable; or they had thought of it and decided Lori was one to keep up her unnecessary hygiene habits even while evading zombies around every turn. Either way, folks, this is silly. The show makes a point to remind its viewers how fragile modern culture could be; how the human qualities that matter aren't the manmade constructs, but intrinsic ones such as loyalty, ingenuity and sacrifice. So why would Lori waste her time on something she never needed to do in the first place?
In that instant it became apparent to me, removing the hair is the unnatural part. Nobody thinks leg hair or armpit hair is beautiful or feminine, but it grows on female bodies as well as male bodies, thereby making it: a human thing! By denying its growth, we are spending our lives trying to erase what is drawn onto our collective identity: our connection to the earth, our humanity. Hair keeps our animal parts accountable, humble and authentic.
Ladies, I'm not trying to preach. I'm not saying we should all throw out our razors, stop taking showers and use our scratchy, hairy legs to scrub our dishes. I'm saying that before your next date, maybe ponder how lucky you are to have a body that is such a perfect blend of the lovely and the unlovely, the refined and the crude. Before you stress about the fine halo of hairs above your lip, observe the rest of your face and find the ultimate, innate virtues that each and every one of us possesses. Disregard the fact that youve been taught that armpit hair on men is "sexy" but on women its "gross", and just be pleased you have arms, hands, fingers.
When you're done fixating and waxing and tweezing, when you're done caring if others think you're appropriately glamorous and vulnerable, step out into our beautiful, natural world as the complex, inspiring unit that you are: and slay some zombies.
