why do women shave their armpits, and why only women?

[metal angel]

I don't get it, i think breasts without arm pit hair is like eyes without eyebrows, strange and wrong.

I also like my hair, it keeps my skin nice prevents dry uncomfortable skin, the edges which are less hairy seem to have less healthy skin, i think the hair is good and useful under there.

why get rid of it, and particularly why only on women?

glad my partner doesn't mind it, but he could bloody well get stuffed if he did.

[Miniar]

I'll always shave mine... even if I'm a bloke..

It just feels cleaner.
It doesn't start smelling as quickly.
And I'm used to it..

*shrug*

[Jamie-o]

Because the other girls in gym class will make fun of you if you don't.

In all seriousness, though, I suspect it's about exaggerating the natural differences between men and women.  Women are generally less hairy.  Less hair = more feminine, therefore no body hair = even more feminine, right?  Though, in reality, high school gym class probably had a more direct effect on most women than whatever psychological garbage was in the original concept.

[LordKAT]

IDK, I never shaved, anything but my face once or twice.

[metal angel]

But i've been watching this one for a while, i think men and women actually have about the same amount of arm pit hair. Men have harier chests and limbs but women have harier heads (when men strat thinning on top) but i think arm pits are pretty equal.

[Stealthgrrl]

To me, it looks jarring to see a woman wearing something sleeveless and she hasn't shaved. That said, I still believe a woman should please herself, especially where her own body is concerned.

I shave both underarms and legs. Legs because they're one of the few real attributes I've got, and I want to make the most of them. Plus, stubble is just revolting, whether on a woman's legs or a man's face. I shave my underarms because it's generally what women do, and now I'm used to it.

I spent wayyyyy too much of my life being a chia pet. I don't have much body hair at all anymore, without testosterone, but what I've got has got to go.

[metal angel]

hrmmm... nah i don't tend to do sleveless, i tend to think it's a bit immodest in general. I think it looks ok naked or swimwear, but even i don't think it looks ok sticking out from girlie clothes.

[Stealthgrrl]

hrmmm... nah i don't tend to do sleveless, i tend to think it's a bit immodest in general. I think it looks ok naked or swimwear, but even i don't think it looks ok sticking out from girlie clothes.

I completely agree.

[Nero]

Because the other girls in gym class will make fun of you if you don't.

this.
i only ever shaved arms and legs so girls wouldn't laugh at me. stopped a long, long time ago.

[metal angel]

i alwayse just ignorred them, i kinda liked being excluded at highschool, kind of reassuring in a way to know i wasn't one of "them".

[GinaDouglas]

The female armpit is a sexy looking erogenous zone, so exposing it by removing hair makes sense.

Female hair-removal is fundamentally a way to appear younger.

Estrogen causes more hair growth on the pubis and underarms, compared to males.

[Constance]

Because the hair accumulates stink, it seems.

I've been shaving my pits for years, and I'm a bio-male.

[barbie]

Feminists here encourage women not to shave their armpits. I sometimes shave them to wear tube top or shoulderless tee.

Barbie~~

[Walter]

Even if I am a guy I keep my body hairless (except my head of course). I just feel cleaner if I have less hair on my body

[Janet_Girl]

I think it is just a stereotype that women shave under their arms and their legs.  For me it just looks and feels cleaner.

Janet

[Alyssa M.]

Muslims (men and women) remove underarm hair.

I think a big part of it is fashion: Sleeveless tops for women may be appropriate for any level of formality, but only the most casual events (sports, beach, mowing the lawn, sitting on the porch drinking beer) for men. Part of the reason is the amount of hair that men have nearby. Shave the pits, and there is still often plenty more hair bristling in the vicinity. You just can't look anything but gross as a guy in a sleeveless top.

I don't think it's really okay for guys who don't shave their legs to wear shorts in any remotely formal situation either. Body hair is just kind of lewd. Arms are fine, but pits, chest, back, or anything below should be removed or kept hidden.

[Calistine]

Because men don't give a crap and women like to feel clean.

[Constance]

Because men don't give a crap and women like to feel clean.

Um, see my post up above. There are indeed men who, as you put it, give a crap.

[Cindy]

Makes me feel fresh, always legs and pit and anywhere else - leave that to the imagination. As for Guys- haven't you seen the wrestling- thay are all shaved, waxed, covered in oil, smooth slippy. OMG time for another shower

Cindy

[metal angel]

Muslims (men and women) remove underarm hair.

I think a big part of it is fashion: Sleeveless tops for women may be appropriate for any level of formality, but only the most casual events (sports, beach, mowing the lawn, sitting on the porch drinking beer) for men. Part of the reason is the amount of hair that men have nearby. Shave the pits, and there is still often plenty more hair bristling in the vicinity. You just can't look anything but gross as a guy in a sleeveless top.

I don't think it's really okay for guys who don't shave their legs to wear shorts in any remotely formal situation either. Body hair is just kind of lewd. Arms are fine, but pits, chest, back, or anything below should be removed or kept hidden.

i think in all bar the most unbearably warm weather cover is better than shave, shaven just looks doubley naked?

Man i really wish i could find formal wear with sleves that didn't make me look twice my age, why is it socially acceptable for young women to run round half naked at formal events. It's weird.

That's really really odd about Muslims, where do you know that from? They're not allowed to shave their beards or pluck their eyebrows, so it seems weird they'd shave their underarms?