Hate on for restrictive beauty norms.

[hermionesviolin]

Question on Millionaire today: "A unibrow is a fashion faux pas remedied by what type of grooming?" Dude, the levels of wrongness. "Faux pas"? Like Frida Kahlo wasn't a total hottie.

After a comment thread with ranaeressea last night, I was thinking I could use an androgynous person icon; and I've been wanting a "real women have curves" icon for some time (I lack any picture to use for it); this makes me think I need a Frida Kahlo icon (complete with unibrow and mustache) for a "nontraditionally beautiful" icon. [Though I would still like a "real women have curves" icon. And no I don't endorse the "zomg, you are so skinny you must be anorexic" type of thing; I don't mean to elide the women who are naturally skinny; being a female who has passed through puberty you have some curves, though, so you are not being negated by the still-theoretical icon.]

I was thinking about writing a disclaimer about choosing/owning your own aesthetics and I remembered that last night kurukami posted a poll about preference for smooth-chested vs. hairy-chested (for those attracted to males) and in this context it got me thinking about how when we're talking about men the hairiness issue gets to be an aesthetic choice, but with women it becomes this huge deal -- and interestingly, women are in many ways less restricted in terms of appearance choices (women wear pants all the times, but how many guys get away with wearing skirts?) but whereas guys get to make choices about shaving all the time (facial hair especially) it's a given that women will shave everything except their heads (and that one's okay either way) and if you don't shave and don't cover that up then it's this huge deal.

Comments

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

(Your icon keyword says "Ariel." From The Little Mermaid?)

Well Diego Rivera was one of the biggest deal painters of his day.

I definitely don't much see the point of shaving your legs during seasons when you're in pants anyway (though some of my friends just really enjoy the feel of smooth legs, which is perfectly valid). I think hairy legs look kinda icky (on either gender) and while with shorts one could rock the casual thing I think I would wanna shave for a skirt (which is a major reason I only wear pants and sometimes long skirts/dresses -- because I don't feel like bothering with shaving my legs).

I actually don't mind underarm hair much at all. I certainly see the aesthetic appeal of smoothness there, especially if one were wearing like an evening gown, but I don't find it aesthetically unappealing much at all.

Since the beginning of civilization, a huge part of a woman's role was to look pretty so a man would take her. So. I'm not surprised we still groom ourselves more than most men.

Yeah, that definitely makes sense.

[helholden.livejournal.com]

Yeah, The Little Mermaid Ariel.

Indeed, he was. I could never escape him in art class or history, but he isn't a very attractive man at all, despite being so famous and popular.

I just shave my legs constantly because I like the smoothness as well. It's not that leg hair bothers me, unless it's really long and thick, but I like smooth skin and the way it feels by itself. So I'm a fan of shaving.

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

Interesting choice (since I always think of her legged state as a sorrowful one -- influenced by reading the HCA version, I'm sure).

Well, personality and other characteristics can make someone appealing even if they aren't traditionally physically appealing but yeah.

[helholden.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's just meant to be more of a comedy icon. Wrapped up in a ship's sail for a dress and feeling pretty about it, and all.

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. I fully admit the fact that my tendency is to overthink things :)