Is being hairy scary? Londoners reveal their thoughts on pubes

Push for the bush

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It’s a pretty personal topic, but should women shave their pubic hair? Or is the bush back for good?

In the wake of a fresher from Liverpool making headlines over her choice to banish her razor in favour of letting her body hair grow au naturale, women everywhere – including celebrities – are flaunting their ungroomed selves.

Nathan, 27, Theatre company director and Musician

“Whatever they feel, I suppose. I don’t think you should be forced into feeling it should be one way or the other. As a man, it doesn’t really bother me, I’m easy with it either way.

“I find it weird it’s a deal breaker if other men expect women to always be clean shaven: out of all things, that’s something which could bother you. I mean, we’ve got a bush.”

Amy, 27, Theatre

“I think if women want to shave, then they should shave. If they don’t, then don’t do it. I just think there are so many more important things going on in the world it shouldn’t even be a topic of conversation. Who fucking cares?

“I have some friends who shave who think it’s disgusting if you don’t shave, and then I have friends who don’t shave out of principal. It feeds into everything to do with gender and society.”

Tom, 20, Art student, Central St Martins

“I think it’s up to them. It’s not anyone else’s place to say and people shouldn’t feel bad about themselves with regards to looking a certain way. It shouldn’t be a shocking thing if someone doesn’t shave. Who cares?

“At the end of the day it’s very strange to put a lot of pressure on people to look this way, which is kind of infantile. It should be about choice, not pressure.

“A lot of people think it stems from porn, but I think it also stems from adverts, feminine products, like shampoo ads: women have to be silky and smooth. Even perfectly natural things like sweating and having public hair, they’re considered rough or abrasive and not conforming with a traditional image of femininity, which is stupid.”

Jacob, 19, student, Central Film School

“When I watch porn I generally prefer shaved. I’ve just got used to it that way. If I didn’t know the difference, if everybody didn’t shave to begin with, I probably wouldn’t mind it at all.”

Aaron, 19, student, Central Film School

“I actually don’t mind. It’s nothing related to personal hygiene, it’s natural. My girlfriend doesn’t have pubic hair, but I don’t have a specific point of view.”

Ryan, 19, Retail

“It shouldn’t be something someone bothers about. It’s personal, like some people choose to have haircuts or piercings. For me, I’ve never had an issue with it.

“A lot of people do get misled by porn, but I think people dig in too much, because they see clean shaven girls in porn they assume it’s what a woman should be like.”

Lillie, 17, Trainee Hairdresser

“Men hardly ever shave, so why should women? I think men and women should be totally equal. Women feel the need to shave every time they’re going to have a sexual encounter, but I don’t think it should be the case.

“If you want a bush, have a bush. Push for the bush.”