To shave or not to shave: that’s the tired old body image debate still waging war in certain corners of the internet.
Women’s bodies are yet again the battleground, particularly around the armpit area.
While some people believe (quite rightly) that it’s no big deal to go au naturel, others feel rather incensed at the sight of a woman with underarm hair.
Cue trolling, head turning and revulsion. Can someone remind these keyboard warriors that it’s 2017 and a woman’s prerogative to do what she wants with her body - whether she shaves or not.
This ongoing battle is the reason we’re celebrating women who give zero f***s about what others think of their body hair.
Whether they’re standing up to being trolled online or turning heads on the red carpet, here are nine celebrities and body-positive Instagrammers helping to break down stigma.
Paris Jackson
Paris Jackson
After being criticised for growing her armpit hair, Paris Jackson had no option but to defend herself against trolls.
The 18-year-old took to her Instagram stories to laugh the issue off, surprised that people still get so irate about a bit of body hair: “It’s natural. Get over it.”
We hear ya, Paris.
Read more here
The 18-year-old took to her Instagram stories to laugh the issue off, surprised that people still get so irate about a bit of body hair: “It’s natural. Get over it.”
We hear ya, Paris.
Read more here
Lalonie Davis
Lalonie Davis
Lalonie Davis was cruelly trolled online for posting a picture of her armpit hair.
But rather than let the haters have the final say, the 17-year-old hit back with positivity: “Body hair is normal... What I do with my body is MY choice. You don’t have to like it, but please know that misogynistic opinions that shame girls for having body hair while ignoring boys who do will never get me to change who I am.”
Read more here
But rather than let the haters have the final say, the 17-year-old hit back with positivity: “Body hair is normal... What I do with my body is MY choice. You don’t have to like it, but please know that misogynistic opinions that shame girls for having body hair while ignoring boys who do will never get me to change who I am.”
Read more here
Madonna
Madonna
The unapologetic queen of pop has been proud of her armpit hair for as long as we can remember.
And what’s more, she’s passed the carefree attitude on to her daughter Lourdes, who was recently made headlines after being papped on a beach with long armpit hair.
To echo Paris: Get over it guys.
And what’s more, she’s passed the carefree attitude on to her daughter Lourdes, who was recently made headlines after being papped on a beach with long armpit hair.
To echo Paris: Get over it guys.
Advertisement
Lola Kirke
Venturelli via Getty Images
Earlier this year, Lola Kirke graced the Golden Globes red carpet in a pink strapless ball gown which revealed her bountiful armpit hair.
The 26-year-old actress, who little sister to ‘Girls’ star Jemima (also in this list), is a breath of fresh air - regularly sticking two fingers up at body image haters by proudly posting her pit hair online.
Queen.
Read more here
The 26-year-old actress, who little sister to ‘Girls’ star Jemima (also in this list), is a breath of fresh air - regularly sticking two fingers up at body image haters by proudly posting her pit hair online.
Queen.
Read more here
Adele Labo
Adele Labo
Having been bullied about her body hair for years, high school student Adele Labo started a social media hashtag inviting others to proudly show that beauty comes in many forms.
The hashtag - #LesPrincessesOntDesPoils (princesses have body hair) - quickly went viral with many women sharing images of their own armpit hair.
Adele told HuffPost UK: “By connecting women and collating images of female body hair, I can show girls that having body hair is completely normal and hopefully they won’t feel alone.”
Read more here
The hashtag - #LesPrincessesOntDesPoils (princesses have body hair) - quickly went viral with many women sharing images of their own armpit hair.
Adele told HuffPost UK: “By connecting women and collating images of female body hair, I can show girls that having body hair is completely normal and hopefully they won’t feel alone.”
Read more here
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Of course, this list would be incomplete without Miley.
Whether she’s proudly flashing them at red carpet events or dyeing them fun colours, the singer-cum-actress-cum-philanthropist continues to teach us all a powerful lesson in body confidence and self-love.
Whether she’s proudly flashing them at red carpet events or dyeing them fun colours, the singer-cum-actress-cum-philanthropist continues to teach us all a powerful lesson in body confidence and self-love.
Advertisement
Scout Willis
Scout Willis / Instagram
Over the past few years, Scout Willis has made it pretty clear she has no time for rigid female beauty standards.
Whether she's parading through New York topless in support of #FreeTheNipple or posting pics of her hairy armpits on social media, the singer-song writer is fighting the good fight.
In a blog for XO Jane about her support of #FreeTheNipple, she wrote: "What I am arguing for is a woman’s right to choose how she represents her body — and to make that choice based on personal desire and not a fear of how people will react to her or how society will judge her."
Read more here
Whether she's parading through New York topless in support of #FreeTheNipple or posting pics of her hairy armpits on social media, the singer-song writer is fighting the good fight.
In a blog for XO Jane about her support of #FreeTheNipple, she wrote: "What I am arguing for is a woman’s right to choose how she represents her body — and to make that choice based on personal desire and not a fear of how people will react to her or how society will judge her."
Read more here
Gabby Hoffman
Albert L. Ortega via Getty Images
Hilarious indy film queen Gabby Hoffman is another celebrity with no time for female beauty standards.
Speaking to the Evening Standard she made her views on body hair pretty clear: "But when people want me to talk about whether I think the bush is back, and whether that's great for feminism, I'm like 'You know what's great for feminism? Respecting everybody's own choice.'"
Speaking to the Evening Standard she made her views on body hair pretty clear: "But when people want me to talk about whether I think the bush is back, and whether that's great for feminism, I'm like 'You know what's great for feminism? Respecting everybody's own choice.'"
Laura De
Florence Lecloux
Philosophy student Laura De was mercilessly trolled after she starred in a photo series about body hair, by photographer Florence Lecloux.
“When a woman wants to say no to waxing, it will be punished in any case until she goes inside the standard again [sic],” she wrote on Facebook.
But she also chose to focus on those who supported her choices and shared the photos in a positive light. “Girls, boys and non-binary that fight for a fairer world with courage and inflexibility, you are my heroes,” she concluded.
De has since shared a photograph of a waxed armpit. She wrote: “Sometimes I shave, sometimes not, the important thing is that it’s my choice.”
Well said.
“When a woman wants to say no to waxing, it will be punished in any case until she goes inside the standard again [sic],” she wrote on Facebook.
But she also chose to focus on those who supported her choices and shared the photos in a positive light. “Girls, boys and non-binary that fight for a fairer world with courage and inflexibility, you are my heroes,” she concluded.
De has since shared a photograph of a waxed armpit. She wrote: “Sometimes I shave, sometimes not, the important thing is that it’s my choice.”
Well said.
Advertisement