I’m a girl and I did No-Shave November

Every year when November rolls around, I see all of my guy friends get hyped for No-Shave November. If it didn’t dawn on you already, No-Shave November means they don’t touch a razor for 30 days.

Typically, girls don’t participate. It’s not like there aren’t times when we don’t shave our legs, pits, or wherever else for long periods of time – here’s looking at you, winter months – it’s just that it’s not particularly dainty or ladylike to document the process of fuzzy legs.

And let’s face it, the world is telling us it’s not attractive to have body hair. Treatments like full-body laser hair removal and waxing make bank off ladies who despise their own hair.

So for one month, I decided to see what would happen if I looked beauty standards in the eye and said: “fuck it.”

To prepare myself, I shaved my legs and my pits a few days before November 1st. Oh, how smooth everything was. I felt awesome, and I like to think I looked awesome, too. I could freely show my soft skin without being judged, and I could raise up my arms and wear tank tops without shame.

Then, on the first day of November, I had my sister put my beloved Venus razor and Skintimate shaving cream away where I wouldn’t be able to find it and succumb to the temptation of getting rid of my leg hair.

I’ll tell you this: it’s hard the first week. When you’re so used to shaving at the first prickle of stubble, it’s weird to just let it be. The first week is “cactus legs” since the hair is so short.

Hairless, party-ready legs

Despite that, I still decided to wear a dress to class with the same confidence I would have if my legs were totally hairless. I don’t think anyone was staring at my legs, but the best part was even if anyone was looking, I wouldn’t care. I liked the way I looked.

I started getting more apprehensive about my clothing choices the longer I let my body hair grow out and the colder the weather got. I wore pants most days because I’m not up for freezing outside while waiting for a bus.

Surprisingly, my hair didn’t even seem to be very visible. With the same moisturizing routine I’ve been using, the hair seemed to be getting softer. Maybe it was just me, but it seemed to be getting lighter, too.

I started to forget I even wanted to shave. It was such a relief being able to cut my shower time down by not shaving my armpits or my legs. I thought it was funny how when I was in elementary school, I wanted to shave my body hair so bad because it would make me feel “older” or “more mature.” I felt gross for having hair on my arms and legs and pits. Having body hair felt too masculine.

It occurred to me how stupid that kind of thinking is because we’re human. It’s totally normal. So why do we get messages from all over telling us having body hair isn’t feminine? Besides, there’s nothing unhygienic or unsanitary about not shaving, anyway.

At the end of the month, I took a look at my results. They were surprisingly disappointing.

The hair on my legs was kind of long, but you couldn’t even tell there was any hair there. Even I had to look really closely to find it. I was kind of hoping I would end up furry. It would have been hilarious.

It was the same for my pits. I thought I’d end up with at least a tuft of hair of something, but all I got were some weird strands. I guess I need to go a few more months without shaving for that.

Besides the ease of not having to shave, I think I should also note when I did wear something during the month exposing my unshaven goodness, no one cared. And if they did, they kept their opinions to themselves. The world didn’t end for me just because I decided to break routine.

It’s extremely liberating to let your body hair grow out. I say try it and maybe even try showing it when in public instead of wearing pants or sleeved shirts, even if it’s not November. No one is going to try and police what you do with your body. And if they do?

Well then, they’re assholes and you should ignore them. You do you.