Shamed for body hair growing up, Desi women now challenging racist standards

nbc ^

[janetjanet998]

Anjana Rajamani was 12 years old the first time she tried to shave her face.

"This guy I had a crush on said my mustache was thicker than his in front of all my class," she said.

After crying in the bathroom of her Southern California middle school, she went home and shaved it off.

"I gave myself razor burn," said Rajamani, 22. "I had pink marks in my mustache area for two weeks."

For Desi women who grew up in mostly white schools, that story might be uncomfortably familiar. Young South Asians say their elementary and middle school years were characterized by a dominating feature: hair. Everywhere. Bushy unibrows, thick leg hair, upper lip fuzz and coarse locks made them feel othered — and ugly — when they were 12.

[janetjanet998]

From age 11, Sonali Krishnakumar remembers being told she had "man legs," "hairy knees," a mustache and bad eyebrows. The insecurities crept up in middle school, so she stopped wearing crop tops, and she wore long pants even in the summer and begged her mom to let her shave. Being hairy made her feel "dirty," she said.

[KC_Lion]

HELL.

NO.

[BenLurkin]

“Bushy unibrows, thick leg hair, upper lip fuzz and coarse locks made them feel ugly.”

Uh......not the Onion?

[AnotherUnixGeek]

For Desi women who grew up in mostly white schools, that story might be uncomfortably familiar. Young South Asians say their elementary and middle school years were characterized by a dominating feature: hair. Everywhere. Bushy unibrows, thick leg hair, upper lip fuzz and coarse locks made them feel othered — and ugly — when they were 12.

So shave, just like all the Italian girls do.

[janetjanet998]

[Boogieman]

Well, I’m sure there are men that prefer a, ahem, hirsute woman.

Takes all kinds.

[beef]

Such is fashion. What are we supposed to do?

[DesertRhino]

Just wax it and get clean and sleek so men can find you attractive. Maybe be glad you lost that slope in the forehead a few generations back. Very little you can do about skull shape.

[Larry Lucido]

It ain't a race thing.

[DesertRhino]

“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.”

Thomas Jefferson

[DoughtyOne]

A lot of women shave their legs on a regular basis.

There’s other areas as well.

If a woman regularly takes care of that, there’s no problem for me.

I have to shave regularly too, but thankfully my face is the
only area where I have to keep things smooth for the person
I care for.

[BenLurkin]

Tell them to come to LA shave off their eyebrows and paint them back on with a Sharpie pen.

They’ll fit right in.

[colorado tanker]

Unfortunately, kids that age, especially girls, can be very mean.

[DesertRhino]

Hey, I got a crazy idea. How about stay in the place where everyone looks like that? You know... India and Pakiland.

[know.your.why]

I dont get it. Just shave. Wth? Or dont. Fk it. dont ever get your hair cut, wear makeup, or deodorant, or wear clean under pants. Just stfu and go about your biz. Please.

[know.your.why]

Tell them to come to LA shave off their eyebrows and paint them back on with a Sharpie pen. They’ll fit right in.

Doesn't Gorilla Glue make a thing for that?

[DJ MacWoW]

I had very long hair and was called “Morticia” in high school by some boys that would hang around my locker. They tried cutting it and setting it on fire. So what? There are jerks all through life and kids either need to deal with it or conform.

[shanover]

Womankind is regressing rapidly. Feminism is a cancer.

[dainbramaged]

A bar in Homer, Alaska had a bearded lady bartender back in the early 70’s. She was a sweetheart, personality wise - I don’t know why she didn’t shave. Didn’t ask.

[The Toll]

What????

Indian girls are smoking HOT after they shave.