Deeply Rooted: An Analysis of How College-Aged Women View Body Hair and Body Hair Removal

Abstract

This study seeks to explore the ways in which college-aged women view body hair and body hair removal. Drawing from interviews with ten undergraduate women at Vanderbilt University, between the ages of 19 and 21, this essay suggests that there appears to be a cognitive dissonance when it comes to young women's views on body hair removal. Throughout this study, participants acknowledged the burdens of body hair removal, whether those be financial, physical, or social. They also understood how the ideas around body hair removal are inherently tied to racism, misogyny, and classism. And yet, they report that they feel bound to continue removing their body hair in order to fit in and conform to societal standards. A lack of body hair is linked to feelings of confidence, desirability, and greater sexual function. Participants expressed how having little to no body hair is often an expectation while engaging in sexual activities, although these expectations may fluctuate depending on the nature of the sexual relationship. Although this study is no way statistically significant, these ten interviews revealed important findings about how young, college-educated women understand and engage with body hair removal. These findings speak to how far we as a society have come with body hair removal, and how much farther we need to go.