Women and body hair

LOL...loved the reviews! Very very funny!

Body image like many OP have said is pretty much dictated by media representation of smooth, hairless women and body hair is seen as a bad thing generally, despite it being completely natural and actually quite normal. I'm one of the "unfortunate" women who appears yeti like in the leg department and in the winter when my legs aren't on show, they tend not to get waxed if I can help it. Armpits, like someone else said, I shave because even when showered and deoderanted, will still smell and I prefer furless armpits. My choice. Summer time I wax my legs (or rather get someone professional to wax them) same with bikini line. NEVER ever will I wax all my bits - I have no desire to look pre-pubescent...something very odd about that! But each to their own!

Nothing about looking pre-pubescent or media reviews to me.  I feel much more comfortable and more hygeinic for long runs and bikes.

OK
I personally think that at the stage of puberty, as the hormones are boiling like a kettle on the hob, the mind thinks that the opposite sex is the model of perfection. At 14 neither males nor females have a great deal of visible hair, but the concept of the invisible hair (in the golden triangle) takes on mythical status.
So that is the image that we all try to maintain and copy until we have grown up enough to want to be individuals and make personal statements. The first time I saw a lady with arm hair I was agog, but then discovered that this was perfectly normal in Germany and many parts of France.

As a slight variation of the theme, it was interesting to hear the baying of the pack (of women, all ages) when Andre Agassi removed his shirt at Wimbledon to reveal that he was now sporting a smooth upper body. OK it did help that he had pecs like cupboard doors.

So, the flip side. There you are at the hotel pool. Enter that bloke. The one with the amazing rug. Not just a welcome mat at the front door, but a complete Batman cape, winter grade, on his back. It's enough to make me want to pluck off on my own back.

I'm surprised that more men don't shave their armpits, particularly sporty types.  It's just a bit more hygienic.

A couple of years ago I was dared by my boyfriend to stop shaving my pits then once the hair had grown a reasonable length to dye it bright pink. I was all up for it but finally caved and shaved after about three weeks as it became unbelievably itchy.

Noticeably hairy women always merit a second glance from me, but that's probably just because it's not a common sight. If they want to look like that, it's entirely up to them. I used to go out with a guy who shaved all over (some weird body image hangup) and it didn't bother me either way whether he did or didn't.