Hairy Legs aren't just for Spiders

Early last spring, my hippie side took over and made me stop shaving my legs. I haven't used a razor below my knee since (I never used one above my knee).

I did cave to social pressure to have hair-free legs for swimsuit season, but in an attempt to stay true to my anti-razor convictions, I suffered through waxing -- yikes! As I squelched the yelps, not wanting to appear wimpy, I comforted myself thinking that perhaps this would help my hair to grow in a little less wiry and black since I was having it yanked out, roots and all. But as the summer ended and the hair came back, my hopes were shattered. It was wirey and black, much like my husband's. Lovely.

Speaking of my husband, he has taken this rebellion of mine rather well. I keep my knee-high socks on when the rest of me is bare, and I suppose that helps. Several years ago, I took a break from shaving during the winter (my skinny legs need the fur, I reasoned) and when springtime came, I couldn't allow my secret to be exposed due to shorter pant legs, so I shaved. Within a couple of days of the return of the smooth, western-woman legs, the pillow-talk consisted of:

ME: Husband, you are perfect for me. I'm so glad we have such a great kind of love -- we just get along so perfectly, and it's not even like we have to say, "well, except for such-and-such, you're great" -- like, everything is great!!!

HUSBAND: Yes, especially now that you're shaving your legs again.

ME: Hee hee. Ahem.

So, you see, choosing now to have hairy legs may seem risky to my marriage! However, my husband has assured me that my current decision to abandon the razor again does not affect our long-term goals of happily ever after. Whew! He's so mature. Maybe it helps that my knee-high socks are kinda sexy - polka-dots, stripes, and other alluring patterns.

I've pointed out to my sons, ages 5 and 7, that my hairy legs are what nature bestowed upon me -- as well as upon their future wives. I consider my rejection of the razor as a gift to these daughters-in-law-to-be, since I am basically raising sons to accept hairy women as a norm.

Alas, I'm aware that my own daughters, currently just 2 with barely visible leg hair, may submit to the same peer pressure that caused me to become a shaver at the young age of 12. I can't change an entire culture, try as I might. But should they ever regret their relationship wtih the razor and want to embrace the hairy-leg-look, they'll know that their mother approves.

This whole anti-shaving stance is really an exercise in self-acceptance. I do not in any way find my masculine-hairy legs attractive. However, I didn't find my shaved legs attractive, either -- just more socially acceptable. My ultimate hope is that within a few years, my ultra-long, dark black, thick leg hairs will have all fallen out, and the hair that grows back will ideally be the kind that grows on my thighs.

Why, by the way, does shaved hair grow back so forcefully? My musings on this matter have concluded that it really is a fight with the razor. The razor invades the gentle growth patterns, removing the fine, light hair in an angry, mow-it-down manner. The hair, sensing its self-worth, is determined to have its place on my body and fuels itself with stronger follicles. The pricklies, however, summon the razor back, and another defeat occurs.

Wouldn't it be great if the rain forests reacted in such a way?!