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April 30, 2006

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Katie

I just wanted to state for the record that I don't think armpit hair is gross because women shouldn't have armpit hair. I think it's gross because all armpit hair is sweaty and full of little white ickyness...men and women alike. I think men should shave their armpits too. Just for your readers who may not have heard that idea from me before (since I'm sure you have).

Earlbecke

Totally fair response. I don't really think anyone needs to choose "my" way so much as I wish there weren't too much pressure either way. I pretty much agree with your analysis.

And I don't really think it's a "dire" situation so much as it was what was seriously annoying me at the time, having read a discussion where one too many people kept insisting that makeup was an issue somehow outside of feminist critcism. ;) There are certainly much more important issues in the world, and they're usually what I focus on.

This is only an example, and surely not the only one, but Goth make-up might be an example of the true choice--certainly it's not society's idea of beautiful, but there are plenty of girls and boys that CHOOSE to wear make-up thus.

Good example, and agreed. I think a lot of subcultures do a good job of reclaiming and altering mainstream standards of beauty.

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