I don’t see the problem with leg hair. I mean, it’s supposed to be there, right? Our ancestors, for hundreds of thousands of years, were perfectly content with carpets for legs. Unfortunately, that’s not how most people see it today. In these modern, “more civilized” times, countless women are shamed and pressured into getting rid of every single hair on their bodies because the almighty society deemed hairlessness more attractive. Well, I guess I got lost somewhere in the Stone Age because I refuse to be one of them anymore.

To me, body hair is perfectly fine. Like I said, it’s meant to be there and to prove a point, not only to myself but everyone around me, more than a few unused razors were thrown into the trash last summer. After that, there was no turning back (razors are way too expensive for that), and there was no place for the hair on my legs to go but up. Not shaving got me a lot of stares and countless “eww’s” from my fellow females, not to mention what I heard from the guys, but shockingly I didn’t care. I rocked shorts in gym class and wore skirts with no shame.

While at first my opinions on media and peer pressure might have been a tad forceful, I’m just a little stubborn. The discussions this hairy situation brought up led me to see that everyone views shaving differently, and that’s okay. Despite my original convictions, I opened up to understanding that choosing to shave isn’t always choosing to conform. Sometimes it’s just preference. I, just like everyone else my age, am slowly coming into myself as an individual, and believe or not, this was a defining moment in my life. Through this endeavor, my perception of media and societal pressure changed by leaps and bounds. While I still can’t deny these influences have major effects on how people act and feel, it’s not the be-all and end-all in decision making like I once thought. Not everyone is oppressed or needs to be “saved” from the “evil grasp of society” because their opinions align with that of the media, and that’s totally awesome! Good for them. I learned to do what makes me happy, a skill that transfers to all aspects of life, college included. I am more open minded to what everyone has to say about shaving legs, being fit, gender roles, and even that crazy new diet everyone is trying, but I still won’t let society force me into a popular opinion. If I don’t want to put “detoxing lemons and mint” in my drink, I won’t, but if you do, let me know how it works! At a time that’s so crucial in in our lives, try and find your own “leg shaving” debacle, and you’ll be amazed by the things you will learn, not only about yourself but also about the people that surround you. Who knew that growing leg hair would help me grow as a person? Not me! But I highly recommend the experience.