More me, me and me
The author pregnant with Little B
Who has been the biggest inspiÂraÂtion in your life???
How’s those pits comÂing along??
Asked Bec.
I will start from the end – the pits questions. This is follow up on an earlier post on the issue .
Bec, the pits are back to where they used to be before my little experiment – in need of a wax, but will wait for a bit longer cause its cold and I cannot be bothered. I did gain something out of the test though. I was able to reach a stage at which the hair didnt bother me so much. I am afraid, though, that complete freedom, such as I can wear it comfortably on a hot summer day in public, was not achieved. But in the end I have two choices – one is to screw society and refuse to de-hair, which leads to facing a lot of prejudices and stereotypes stamped on my face. The second to get rid of the hair, even though I disagree with the reasons, and avoid the pitfalls of being alternative in this particular area. In the end I went with the later option. I am not afraid to be different, to swim against the tide when its important to me or I think its best for my family. I will breastfeed my elderly toddler in public without being bothered by disapproving stares. I will give birth in my house, when just about everyone sees the hospital, epidurals and surgery as a better, “more civilized” option. I will homeschool my kids and face the unpleasant stereotypes that often go with that. And so on and so on. Those things matter enough that they make it worthwhile to me to abandon the pack. But I am not antisocial. I dont, even for a second, pretend or imply that I am happy to live in isolation of the world I live in. I care about fitting in the society I have chosen to live in, if not fully, at least as much as possible.
In the end, even though the issue of body integrity for women is important to me and I wholeheartedly disagree with the images we have surrounded ourselves with, I am not prepared to put myself on the line for it. I fail to see the real value in curbing this trend – for me. No matter how ridiculous, hairy women are seen as dirty, disgusting, unsightly, unsocial and so on. Its a price I am not prepared to pay, when I fail to see an equally important gain for me or someone that I love. True, if enough women start to do that maybe in a few generations, if the stars align just right, women may be free of this burden. Unfortunately, I am not that altruistic. The cost way outweighs the benefit – for me.
Maybe one day we will live in a place that will not care about my pits and then I can align my beliefs with my society. Until then, I will accept that there are some things I can just accept as a price for living in the place I do.
As far as the inspiration person in my life…I am not sure I have one. Lots of people inspire me for various reasons. Some are creative, others inventive, inspiring thinkers or simply magnificent personalities. I guess its a reflection on my wide spread interests that there is not one person that can capture most of the things that stop me in my tracks and make me want to be a better me.
_________
I am in a bit of a rut lately. Maybe its the cold and unpleasant weather. Maybe its time for a change and shake up of the dust around here. I am not sure.
I am not sure.
Beautiful picture and beautiful blog to boot. Been reading yours for a while now and it’s inspired me to write my own.
And yes totally agree with the hair thing. It’s just not important enough to make a statement about. However, i do get frustrated when i hear of men (mostly men) disagreeing strongly about women with hair, or if they don’t shave their legs often enough. People should just loosen up about it, so what.
Well said, my dear.
I do agree that it is wrong for women to be boxed and stereotyped – and perhaps had the culture to begin shaving at the first sign of hair been different, I too might be confortable in embracing the growth. BUT I can only get about 2 days worth before the prickles drive me bonkas and out comes that razor!
What sort of rut? Methinks once the warm comes back you will find yourself again. Me? I LOVE the winter.
Gorgeous picture! Again! :)
I’m on the same page re the pits… I think I’ve made peace with the fact that shaved pits are something dictated by society’s idea of “beautiful” – I do it mostly to fit in. But I have to say that a part of me actually enjoys having hairless pits and not feeling wet/sticky there on a hot day (even though the shaving/waxing itself can be a chore).
As for you feeling in a rut, here’s a little tip that always seems to work for me, especially if I’ve lived in a place for more than a year. :) Try moving the furniture around – it puts you in a relatively new environment and I find it also triggers an internal change.
Eleanor, I am so glad. I will visit in a second to see how your blog is going.
Vanya and Bec, not sure really. Just rutty. I think some of it is the cold, yes, but there is something else too. I will put my finger on it these days.
Vanya, I am not sure that will be my answer right now, but I know what you mean. Change always whips us in a bit of a shape, doesnt it?
Eleanor, I left a comment, but I am not sure it went through.