I had a pedicure yesterday. To those who know me very well, this is no lie. I have the baby soft heels to prove it.
There were four of us in the “feet area” – age range 20’s to 70’s. Two of the ladies were later escorted to other rooms to have further essential (and mysterious!) things done to their bodies.
I know this is all about taking care of one’s body but as I pondered what went on in those other rooms, this unsettling thought came to me.
Women endure a great deal of pain-in-the-a** “work” done in order to appear attractive and presentable to society. And in terms of attracting a mate for breeding purposes, some of this work makes sense. Such a phenomenon occurs in nature as well.
But the list of torturous activities is mind-boggling - waxing, bleaching, liposuction, botox, hair dye (mea culpa), laser surgery, electrolysis...
If taken to the extreme, what have you got? A female who (with the exception of that dyed and styled hairdo) is absolutely hairless (and I mean everywhere), wrinkle and spot free with pouty lips and smooth soft skin.
In essence, you have a prepubescent female!! (With breasts, of course.)
This is the ultimate goal for women to attain??
Who is responsible for creating such an unnatural standard of attractiveness? And while many women apparently strive for it, I have to wonder if men actually are attracted to such a female ideal. That seems a little kinky…
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for a little pampering (the leg massage that was part and parcel of the pedicure was heaven) and I do believe in appearing presentable and well-groomed (despite my own feeble attempts) but I believe society has gone too far. An unrealistic ideal of the ultimate attractive female has been created. Somehow, letting nature take its course has become obsolete and unacceptable.
I’m out of the running – by choice. And this provides me with the freedom to occasionally display a little stubble on the legs.
Hey, men display 5 o’clock shadow and no one objects!
15 comments:
How true, girlfriend....HOW TRUE!!!!
Personally....I don't like hair....but come on....I don't want ANYONE ripping my pubic hair out by the roots via hot molten wax!!!! and if my man wanted me looking like a little girl,....i'd be a little worried..
lol at "other Beth" -- touche!!!! And to this Beth -- excellent post. Torture = beauty?!? At what cost..no thanks.
I had that hairless look -- on chemo. And it is pre-pubescent and while I found it very freeing -- it's not a look I would have volunteered for -- forget that.
Reality vs. unreality...we are what we are. Lines, wrinkles, cellulite...that is reality. We need to learn to live with it and accept it. Will it happen? Not sure.
This is the first time in my life (these last few years) that I've been okay with how I look and screw what anyone else thinks...
I found your post very "freeing" indeed!!!
European women are much more relaxed with body hair. Many don't shave their legs or arm pits. I couldn't imagine shaving one's arm pits.
It's totally a cultural thing, just like how very young children are compelled to have their ears pierced, because their friends had it done.
I knew a woman who had her eye brows removed and replaced them with a tattoo of eye brows. Too freaky!
Many men have a problem with arrested development.
I have been spending a lot of time thinking about this subject of late. My husband takes a shower and brushes his hair and that's it.
I don't know . . .
I kind of like shaving for my own sake - all that hair in weird places is just so annoying. The older I get the more if it there is - it's spreading! I'll pass on the medical cosmetic procedures but shaving is a free little indulgence that makes me feel. . .neat and tidy.
I agree very, very much. When I had friends start talking about arm hair removal, it panicked me a little-- I already remove eye brows, legs, arm pits, bikini area-- is there really more than needs to be done??
I'm going for my first pedi ever tomorrow. yay!
I have to beg to differ about the European women, at least in my little corner of Spain, that is not the case...waxed, bleached, plucked...the moms start waxing their daughters legs when they are 12 or so, everyone, or nearly everyone plucks their eyebrows, tweezers was one of the first words I learned.
I have long thought that the hairless wrinkless thing is pre-pubescent, thought they likes them some tits too....and the fact that I attracted more men(talking quantity, not quality here) and more MUCH older men when I was 16....
Some of it is disturbing....
beth:
Ouch, ouch, ouch - and no way!
sherry:
Yet again, you're an inspiration with your "screw" them attitude.
I think the next generation is going to (in fact, is) under greater pressure than we ever were.
guy:
It's a cultural thing I wish had never come to North America.
And be thankful you've never had to shave your pits!
mrs. g.:
For women, the shower is just the first step. Then comes the many lotions, the hair, the make-up...
What a drag.
trish:
I understand how you feel - a smooth shaved leg feels good. But - I just wish we'd never learned to think that way!
princess pointful:
The hair removal is an insidious process...
Enjoy your pedicure - hope you get a leg massage too.
oreneta:
Glad to hear you thought of that prepubescent thing too. I am not alone. And it is disturbing. Very.
cheri:
Not ridiculous at all. If we're going to remove the hair - do it permanently!
so true.
we could all stop shaving our legs, let hair grow wherever & whatever color comes in, just comes in...no makeup, no nail trimming...and then we'd all look damn near Ted Kazynski. No thank you.
I'll take the pampering! And the hair dye! and the waxing, and shaving, and make-up. I'm such a girly-girl.
lainey-paney:
You are a wonderful "girlie-girl!" I don't object to any of that pampering - just to the taking it to the extreme. (Hairless and looking like an 11 year old!)
My 20 year old niece announced to me a while back that she had no hair down there. She described this fact with such excitement, stating that "guys like it better." I was horrified!
I can do highlights and manicures and pedicures, and I've had my eyebrows and lip waxed, but I don't do anything else.
What a great post Beth and so true!!! It is so much harder for women and why? I stopped all the waxing and any other hair removal, except shaving. I like shaving my legs, I think it is a sickness, but I really do. I think because I love the lotion part after, I am addicted to lotion. Anyway, I am at the point (make up, hair care, clothing, etc) where it is all about simple and comfort. Works for me. I feel silly otherwise, just not me.
I watched a pretty interesting documentary... Men vs Women...
Men were shown a picture of a woman in a MacDonald's suit... And they found her attractive...
And then the were shown the same woman in a regular business suit, and then her in casual wear...
She always remained attractive...
With women however... They did the same with an attractive male model...
Not one woman found the man in the MacDonald's suit to be attractive...
As the argument was, woman no matter how liberated were still looking for a provider... And no MacDonald's worker would be an apt provider...
It really made me take pause...
You got a pedicure? Cool! You know, I've never had one...one of these days, I should try it.
The hair thing? I must confess that I guess I've been conditioned by my society – I can only go so long not shaving my legs or pits before it starts to bother me. Funny thing is, the hubby couldn't care less. I could go totally ape (heh) on him, and he'd be fine with it (mind you, he's pretty darn hairy himself, and I sure don't care. It would cost him a fortune to remove all that hair off his back!)
But the totally hairless in the pubic area? That really creeps me out. I don't get that fashion trend these days.
My mom doesn't wear makeup and I think she's one of the most beautiful people around. When I was little I hated one of her rules: No makeup until you are 14. But I got through some of middle school without it and learned that I am pretty without the color paste. I do wear makeup now but if I forget it one day, no worries. Thanks to my mom, I have some self confidence to realize beauty isn't just skin deep.
oh, and I love pedicures!
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