Pubic Hair in America

Hahahahahahha. This post proves that I think way too much about way too many things. I was thinking specifically about the fact that pubic hair on women has become a subject of conversation and trending. I don't know if this has always been the case, but in the past few years I have seen and read quite a bit on the subject.

I was specifically thinking about Vanessa Hudgens of High School Musical fame. A while back she sent a nude photo of herself to, I'm assuming, her boyfriend. She is so young and the picture was not at all pornographic. Just a shot of her standing there naked. When I happened on this photo in the blogosphere, the comments were brutal about the state of her pubic hair. Just FYI, her pubic hair was in its natural state. Poor girl. I can't imagine what she experienced if she read any of those comments. I'm still shaking my head while writing this. I don't want to imagine the psychic scars that may have been left on that oh so young girl who is just discovering and exploring her sexuality only to have herself be subject to ridicule all over the internet. I hope she broke up with that asshole.

America has now seen so many celebrity unmentionables that it's rather commonplace. Remember Britney getting out of that limo sans underwear? Comments were less than kind about that, too. Apparently the trend for a woman's pubic hair today is to have it shaven. Have you heard of a Brazillian? That's the process of removing all of a woman's pubic hair with hot wax. I'm told that you have to be on all fours to have this done. Can you say humiliating? I can't imagine a man going through this process, however metrosexual he may be. George Lopez did a riff on this in a recent stand-up. What I want to know is: why is our pubic hair suddenly a fashion statement?

As a mother, I can only imagine what kind of angst this may cause. It makes me a little sad to think of young girls thinking that the natural state of their changing bodies are somehow not okay. We already have this problem with weight and breast size and any other number of body parts. Girls who may have happened upon the photo of Vanessa Hudgens in all her naked innocence would certainly get the message from the comments made that their pubic hair is ugly. The message that her most private part is ugly. It hurts my heart a little. These poor girls.

Females make up slightly more than half the population. Why is there so much shame attached to our private parts? Men don't have a similar plight. I have a friend who gleefully offers to show us his penis after a few drinks. It's funny. Now picture a woman doing the same bit. Picture a guy grabbing his crotch and saying, "I got your stimulus package right here." Now picture a woman doing that.

I am over 40 now, married for many, many years. My pubic hair doesn't have to conform to fashion trends. I'm not pro-shaving or anti-shaving; my opinion has nothing to do with anyone else's personal pubic options. I don't personally care if you want to shave little hearts in it--go for it sister; let your freak flag fly! Adorn yourself with little braids and sparkles if you like, I won't judge. The important thing for all of us to realize is that pubic hair is not shameful or ugly or open to judgment. Let us teach our daughters that lesson right away.

I saw The Vagina Monologues a few years back. I've been thinking about it because a family member of mine is going to be performing in a production of this wonderful show. I remember sitting in the audience feeling uncomfortable and elated at the same time. This ground breaking show breaks through the societal shame associated with vaginas. Wonderful . . . someone is a genius. I remember thinking if I had a daughter I would bring her to this show. I would want her to understand that women are powerful and wonderful and should not be ashamed of their most personal parts.

So in the spirit of throwing off shame and pride, I would like to publicly thank my vagina, however much hair it does or does not have, for giving me the three best things I ever conceived: Josh, Ben, and Andrew, my amazing sons. I hope someday, when my boys see a vagina in all its pubic glory, they will be enlightened enough to not make snarky remarks.