The fact is, in today's society, the choice not to shave one's armpits can be a shocking one. I have known many a man who has reacted with disgust upon hearing that a woman chooses not to shave there. But what if it were pink? Or blue? Or some other electric shade that calls undeniable attention to the underarm region?
For some women, the answer is a resounding yes.
Dyeing one's armpit hair seems to be a trend on the rise. YouTube is full of videos of women who have taken the colored armpit plunge. Their reasons are varied. Some just thought it looked cool. Others saw it was a trend and wanted to give it a shot. For others, it has been a matter of the "carpet matching the drapes." If you have never heard that expression, suffice it to say: The color on one's head ought to match the hair elsewhere on the body.
For some, this means their blue hair needs a friend. Or two. But would real women do this?
I have to admit that when I first saw the photos, my instinct was to be horrified. But after watching the videos and seeing a few more photos, the idea grew on me. The truth is, I (and many other women) have never really had armpit hair. From the day I grew it, I started shaving it. That's just the norm in our culture.
The same is true of my leg hair and bikini line. It's unsightly and part of most women's beauty ritual to remove. But it's not natural. Women who want to rebel against our rigorous (and often ridiculous) beauty standards have always chosen to flaunt their hair.
But how is this different than shaving?
The fact is, if women are seeking an end to the rigid beauty standards they have had to live up to for years, they won't find that here. The fact is, any change to a woman's natural look is automatically "unnatural." So whether you are waxing, shaving, using depilatory cream or dyeing it pink, your armpit hair is anything but natural.
Want to fight convention? Go for the long hair. Want to go against the standards? Don't dye it pink.
It's cute. It's funny. But you are kidding yourself if you think it's progress.
Pink armpit hair: Would you do it?
More in beauty
Why I'm grateful that my mom never called me beautiful
The beef fat facial: It's very real
'Vagina facial' trend a major insult to women