The Pubic Problem

May 21, 2011 1:00 pm     Posted in Body, Health, Reality  Jenn Inzetta g+ page

A few weeks ago, CollegeCandy posted a piece on How to Have the Best Vaginia in Town, a post that featured a number of ridiculous, but real vajazzling techniques (which, by the way, was not supposed to be taken as serious suggestions). But even with so many crazy options to choose from, the issue that really took over the comments was the idea of waxing at all.


By Jenn Inzetta

The opinions were strong and varied and led to an eighty comment debate on the appropriate way to wax your pubic area, if there even is an appropriate way to do that. So with all that backlash, we thought it might be a good idea to create a post that attempts to dive into some of these issues as well as attempt to determine why such a personal choice has become such a public issue at all.

So really, we’re not answering any of your questions, we’re just trying to understand them. This post is not trying to sway you one way or the other. I’m just laying out some differing opinions and creating a forum for discussion. And I thought the best way to do that would be to go straight to your comments. So why is this such a big issue? Why do women have such differing opinions on it? And should we even be attempting to justify something that we ourselves have called medieval torture?  Let’s find out.

Comment # 1: Shaving down there is no worse than shaving ur legs or ur arm pits for that matter. It’s all in what u (as a woman) like. 

Can it be that simple? Can it be as easy as girls, to do what you want to do because you want to do it, whether that means living with an entire forest or going bare. Be comfortable and confident in your decision and just go with it. Don’t worry about what other men or women think. It’s a nice thought, but that’s easier said than done, especially after reading comments like the one below.

Comment #2:  Shaven is the best. Anyone who says anything else is lying. men love it and if women do it, the men will be better men.

The question every woman asks herself about pretty much everything. Am I doing this because I want to or because I know it’s what someone else wants and I’ve convinced myself it’s what I want to? Is that what something like this comes down to? A secret voice telling you that this is what the guy wants? Or for some women is that voice less secret. They openly hate it,  but choose to do it anyway. Is that okay? Or should we be saying…

Comment # 3: Any man who will be a “better man” if his girlfriend shaves down there is a total douche.

This comment raises a good point. If that’s what it takes to get the guy is it worth it? Aren’t we always saying if a man doesn’t like you for you who are then he’s not the man for you. Is this the same sort of situation? Should women really feel pressured to wax their pubic hair? I mean with comments like the above how can women not feel pressured to do so, and if that’s the case, how can we stand for it?

And finally, one last issue to address.

Comment # 4: Why are women being advised to go hairless like a child? That is really gross and nasty. I understand no one wants a wild forest but hairless is too much like a pedophile’s dream.

Is it the Brazilian bikini wax that’s giving all waxing a bad name? And is that bad name justified? Does going bare make women seem childlike? Is it indulging pedophilia? And if one gets a normal wax instead of a Brazilian does that take this issue off the table?

This is obviously a very complicated issue that requires we take a lot of different things into consideration. But I doubt most of you spend you time contemplating the question: to wax or not to wax, and if you wax how much should you wax.

So here’s your chance. Leave a comment and let us know what you think and why you feel that way

15 Comments on "The Pubic Problem"

  1. katie says:
    Sat, 21st May 20112:21 pm 

    Personally I shave all of it. It started with just what would show out of my bikini but a lot of my friends go bare so I decided to try it. And now I just prefer it that way. My ex-boyfriend honestly didn't care how much hair I had so it's always sort of been a personal choice. And I think that's all that should matter, if YOU want to do it, then do it. If you don't, don't. It's nobody else's business how much hair you have down there and no one else should make the decision about it except you. It's your body. And it doesn't make you look like a little girl -_- Way too scared to try waxing because I would feel very embarrassed plus I couldn't handle the pain! Shaving works just fine :) Just use baby powder to get rid of razor bumps!

  2. studentzen says:
    Sat, 21st May 20116:32 pm 

    I often wonder what my pubic area would be like if I hadn't started shaving in the first place. Now it's awful if I leave it go. My hair is naturally wire-like anyway so it's too unruly to leave. But I personally hate having nothing there. I can't decide what way to have it. But I tried waxing my pubic area for the first time the other day – talk about pain! I swore I'd never do it again after seeing a bruise that was such a shade of purple I had never seen before! I like to remove everything from my bikini line but as far as the pubic area goes, the jury is still out on that. My boyfriend doesn't seem to mind either way though!

  3. criolle johnny says:
    Sat, 21st May 20118:06 pm 

    If someone subjected a man to a Brazilian in time of war, it would be considered an atrocity.
    I have never understood how a woman could undergo this treatment, yet have to call ME when she is afraid of a spider in the kitchen!

  4. Jenna says:
    Sun, 22nd May 201111:27 am 

    It's all very well to say "do whatever makes you happy" but we don't live in a vacuum. If I don't shave my legs I feel gross (even if no one else is going to see them) but there is no particular reason for this, it's not unhygienic or unhealthy to have unshaven legs, it's just the socially accepted norm that women shave their legs. It seems though that the level of grooming required of women to stop us feeling gross is growing exponentially.

  5. A different Jenna says:
    Sun, 22nd May 201111:12 pm 

    I shave mostly brazilian to get that smooth feel, but I leave a strip. Tried waxing…much too painful, and expensive as well. I agree with the comment in the post about going completely bare and associations with pedophilia. I understand that it's some women's preference, but personally, it really freaks me out. I just can't see how looking at a spread of a naked woman in a vulnerable, "caught" position, doe-eyed look like a little lost deer, and the vagina of a prepubescent girl wouldn't have any associations with pedophilia. Regardless, I wouldn't tolerate anyone who told me how I should groom my pubic hair at all, let alone an express preference for bareness.

  6. Anna says:
    Tue, 24th May 20117:17 pm 

    I prefer a Brazilian-style shaving with just a small strip in front. Personally, I think vaginas look funny completely bare, but hey – vaginas look weird anyway, so go with what works for you. However, there ARE hygienic and health benefits to going mostly hairless – more hair traps sweat, and sweat is a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast.

    Oh, and any guy who is only a “better man” because you go totally bare is a douchebag from hell and isn’t worth a single second of your time.

  7. Lucina says:
    Tue, 24th May 20119:06 pm 

    I've actually been wondering if it'd be worth getting a bikini wax because I'm so self conscious sometimes about the hair down there, especially when I change at the gym or it's summer time. I tried shaving last summer but I got a whole bunch of itchy stubble! I don't know if it's really worth all the trouble. It's just a matter of what makes you comfortable and not what other people think.

  8. anonymous says:
    Thu, 26th May 201112:45 am 

    If you do it because men like it, what's wrong with that? Going full bush and expecting men not to care is equivalent to men growing full beards and expecting women not to mind. Give me a break. Sometimes you do what you do for someone else's sake and/or preference.

  9. judgemenot says:
    Thu, 26th May 201112:49 am 

    The hairless look has absolutely nothing to do with pedophilia. Grow up and stop with the snap judgements! It's not fair to label people who prefer the hairless look (many, many people do!) as pedophiles. Ridiculous.

  10. studentzen says:
    Thu, 26th May 20117:59 am 

    As regards your question about waxing, although it is painful I personally think it's worth it. I do my own waxing and though I did my bikini line over 2 weeks ago, it's still relatively hair-free. This is in comparison to me shaving in the morning and having stubble by the end of the day, as well as angry, red and itchy skin. As regards what it feels like, I always found waxing to be much smoother than shaving, no matter what blade is used. Waxing gives a different kind of stubble, it's much softer if that makes any sense. Your best bet would be to try it out on your legs and notice the difference between shaving and waxing. Just don't forget to take 1 Nurofen (I don't know what the American equivalent is but it's an OTC painkiller for headaches and things) beforehand, because the first time is always the worst.

  11. Mir says:
    Thu, 26th May 20119:13 pm 

    I disagree with the pedophilia comments wholeheartedly. Personally, I shave everything. This is at my boyfriend's request, and I comply not because I feel pressured by society, but because if I want him to put his mouth down there, it seems fair to get rid of the hair. Nobody likes hair in their mouth.
    It's also my bargaining chip for when I want him to shave his face.

  12. Nneka says:
    Mon, 30th May 20112:50 am 

    Hair is itchy and I sweat way too much to keep any pubic hair and still feel comfortable. Going bare doesn't bother me, but I would never let a guy tell me to do it. I certainly do not shave because I think it's what a guy wants. I've been doing it since I was a young girl and figured out the purpose of a razor.

  13. Shannon says:
    Thu, 2nd Jun 201112:33 am 

    Going hair-free also heightens sensitivity in the area – so when you have something going on down there the whole experience is more pleasurable. No hair pulling, less friction…you just have to make sure you're not in that "scratchy" phase of your shaving regime. That's why I shave – never for a guy. Although I started shaving because I found wearing the underwear I liked with hair down there was rather itchy/uncomfortable. I don't think it's anti-feminist to shave, it's for the individual to decide what suits them.

  14. Ahsan Raja says:
    Fri, 21st Oct 201110:03 am 

    College Students
    fallterms are created for college students dating. every body feel free to use it and then go to fallterms to meet your couple.

  15. Ahsan Raja says:
    Fri, 21st Oct 201110:04 am 

    College Students
    fallterms are created for college students dating. every body feel free to use it and then go to fallterms to meet your couple.

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