News Flash: "Growth"

Recently Mo’Niques (actress/comedian in the highly touted film Precious) unshaven legs made a surprising cameo appearance at this years Golden Globes, sparking an enormous uproar in the celebrity media community. Newspapers, blogs and radio talk shows bashed Mo’nique, calling her unshaven legs Disgusting and unnecessary, assuming they were an error made on her part. Mo’nique later made it clear that she in fact never shaves her legs, and is proud of it, much to the horror of many people. As soon as this was revealed, many supported her, but unfortunately more criticism came her way. With so much attention over something so insignificant as a few hairs, one has to wonder if this specific social construction, among others, is contributing to the divide of equality. Also once again we have to question our society’s quest in making the natural frighteningly unnatural. Truth be told though, this news flash is not entirely just about one kind of "growth", it is about doing what you want, what you believe, what you are liberated by, without having to explain yourself.

For Years the Path of least resistance has been choosing to shave in western civilization. This habit stemmed from higher hemlines of dresses, as well as more revealing bathing suit styles. After feminists adopted the stereotype of non-shavers, almost every altercation between celebrities body hair and the media has become a question of whether they are making a radical statement, or simply accidentally neglecting to shave. However Mo’nique claimed her reasons of refraining from shaving were “ A black woman’s thing” rather than an issue with shaving itself. Reading this quote, it is clear that Mo’nique unknowingly stumbled upon a major theme in the history of feminism. We have discussed in class countless times how during the second wave of feminism (when hem lines and bathing suits styles changed) the voice of the black woman was often not heard in the movement. Mo’nique defining her legs as a “Black woman’s thing” in 2010 is a direct example of how different things were for different races in the history of feminism. Some could argue that this is a cultural difference, and has nothing to do with feminism but based on what we have learned in class we can make the assumption that the idea of shaving our legs stemmed from a white, middle/upper class group of women. These women had the money to buy the new styles of clothing and also had the time to shave, whereas many black women who were in the struggle to support their families could not. When reading this article I immediately thought of Sojourner Truth, the woman who was a voice for black women and showed us that the second wave feminist movement was different for black women.

Also quoted in the article is Amanda Palmer, a singer who also attended the awards show showing off her refusal to conform to shaving. Palmer stated something so simple and direct “You know what’s really cool? Wake up every morning, decides what you feel like doing, and do it.” Instantly when reading this, the article in LU titled “one bad hair day to many”, where the author simply decides to conform to the primping and preening came to mind. The author, tired of wasting time and money doing something for someone else, decided to shave her head, and lived her life the way she wanted.

To me, the real issue with this article is not about whether to shave or not to shave, it is about whether to judge or not to judge. As a girl growing up in a very traditional and old fashioned community, far away from city lights, I have to admit I bought completely into every social construction, not questioning or wondering if I should think things should be any different. I never had a health Ed class, and only knew exactly what a hermaphadite was because livestock sometimes are born that way. Where I am from, the mother tries to stay home with her children as much as possible, and is criticized for not taking full advantage of her maternity leave. I took this class because my teammates were in it and I needed a fourth class, and was embarrassed to tell my friends at home I was enrolled in it.

This class has taught me that there is no two separate boxes labeled male/female, there is a matrix of feminism that is so complex and intricate, that female chauvinist pigs are evident in everyday life, and much more. It has showed me that feminism is nothing to shy away from or be ashamed about, and not every woman’s dream is to eventually settle down, taper off from working, and raise kids. If Mo’nique wants to strut down the red carpet unshaven, she shouldn’t be criticized for doing so. Feminism is different for everyone but a common theme is that a woman shouldn’t be oppressed, whether it is by unequal pay, sexual gratification, or from letting her natural body hair grow naturally.

Mo’nique might have unknowingly dropped a second wave “F” bomb, but because of Women’s Studies, I now know that social constructions run deep in time. Maybe the media today cannot understand why Mo’nique would ever want to refuse to shave her legs, but because of Women’s Studies, I now do.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/fashion/15skin.html