It was 1999 when Julia Roberts’ decision to not shave her armpits became a talking point across the globe. Things have come a long way since then and many women have chosen to not shave their body hair and embrace being hairy. In this post, we will take a look at some of the remarkable events in this movement. Let’s get started.

Hairy Women: Read About These Women Embracing Their Body Hair

Why have some women stopped waxing their hair?

I’m not going to wax because women also have hair,” said Amaia, the winner of Operación Triunfo, who in addition to leaving us open-mouthed because of her voice, also showed her armpits. The same ones that Irene Montero now wears and with which she has turned on the networks. “I hope that if this woman is vice president of the Government of Spain, she will shave the hairs from her armpit when she represents us,” wrote the councilor for the Popular Party Jesús López on his Twitter account.

And the bomb exploded in the form of a viral response, that of the journalist and columnist of Yo Dona, Carme Chaparro: “Can you imagine criticizing a man because he has hair in his armpits? Well, why are you criticizing a woman?” he asked live on his show as he raised his arm and tucked a tuft of hair under his armpit. “Some wax and others don’t. So what?”

How long has the debate on hairy women been raging?

The hair debate is not new and it has been gaining traction at the same time that feminist demands did in recent years. According to a study done by Phillips worldwide, carried out with 11,000 women in 11 different countries, for 34% of women, waxing is a very important factor when it comes to feeling beautiful and self-confident. And what about the remaining 66%? Well, although they do not attach importance to the subject, they end up going through beauty salons for different reasons: almost 100% of women shave some area of ​​their body (99.2%), especially the armpits (93.3% ), legs (93%) and groin (93%). The rest of the options, the arms of the abdominal area, go behind, although they are also ‘cleaned’.

But despite what the studies say, the truth is that more and more women are choosing not to go against nature and let their hair grow at ease. In fact, several years ago a body hair hashtag revolutionized Twitter and filled the social network with women who championed the anti-hair removal cause by hanging images of their hairy bodies and faces.

The argument, which should be an option and not an imposition for the mere fact of being a woman. The same one who defends the campaign ‘The princesses have hairs’ which a 16-year-old French teenager also made viral on the networks some time ago. Feminism advances and dictates its norms. And it seems clear that the rejection of waxing is one more form of female empowerment, at least for the gender expert sociologist Belén Bazán Benítez, who affirms that waxing is not a question of health or aesthetics, but of socialization. “Women have been educated to constantly question our bodies,” she said.

Which celebrity women have gone hairy?

These days, more and more women do not wax and are proud of it. And, in addition, they do not respond to the stereotype. For instance? Actress Julia Roberts, who already appeared at the premiere of Notting Hill in 1999 wearing her armpits with hair. Like her, Madonna, Miley Cyrus, Drew Barrymore, Gigi Hadid, Halle Berry and even Sofia Loren, a beauty icon who was one of the first actresses to take on, and show off, her underarm hair. A list of movie and music stars that now also includes politics hand in hand, or rather under the arm, of Irene Montero, the woman who will have the most presence in the public life of Spain in the coming years.

“Women in power, with or without hair,” she answered on Twitter to the popular Jesús López.

What is the Natural Beauty project?

A British photographer has decided to challenge current beauty dogmas by taking a photo session with women who made the decision not to wax and are very proud of it.

“Natural Beauty” is the name of the art project of photographer Ben Hopper. The Briton affirms that he is passionate about looking for the opposites of the established standards and in this case he has decided to address the controversial issue of hair in women: a taboo.

For more than a century, the cosmetic industry has imposed on women a “duty” to fear that they wax, removing all hair from their bodies. His project, therefore, consists of photographing women who show their body hair without fear.

With these snapshots Ben Hopper seeks to show that hair is not abnormal. He wants to democratize this debate so that in this way, those who decide not to wax, can live their decision with pride and without any shame.

On his Instagram account, each snapshot is accompanied by a testimony or a question that leads to reflection. It has not been long in receiving worldwide attention, filling the covers by dozens. On his website he explains that “these reactions inspire as well as demonstrate the powerful power of photography.”