I was horrified as I read a Daily Mail opinion piece this morning by Ruth Preston (thankfully, a pseudonym), the mother of a 15-year-old girl.
Ruth was shocked to inadvertently notice one day that her daughter had gotten rid of all of the hair ... down there.
Of course, Ruth was certain that this meant her daughter was sexually active, and even if that wasn't the case, the thought that her daughter was thinking of that area in that way appalled her.
But then her friend, a midwife, reassured Ruth that she didn't need to worry, because from what she was seeing, ALL teenage girls were doing it.
O. M. G.
All teenage girls?
I mean, I'm sure it's not all, but the fact that a significant number of girls barely past puberty think going "bare floor" or even Brazilian is desirable just kills me.
And you know, I can't help but think that the Internet has a LOT to do with it.
When I was a kid, I remember going to an overnight party in fourth grade and looking at Playboy magazines from the '60s that my friend's dad thought he had safely hidden in the basement.
I thought that was pretty racy back then, but I can't even imagine what fourth graders these days are seeing when no one's looking. Come to think of it, maybe I should just forbid my kids from ever sleeping over at anyone's house, like one of my mom friends has done...
We worry enough about what fashion magazines are doing to our daughters' self image, but no one talks about the effects that porn on the Internet (or even "wardrobe malfunctions" that make it pretty clear that even the youngest Hollywood starlets are going "bare floor" themselves) are certainly having on them. It makes sense that girls could be getting a false image of what boys will find desirable.
Okay. I'm officially freaking out now.
We're moving to Svalbard before my kids get any older!!
What do you think about teens getting "extreme" bikini waxes (or doing the job themselves)? Are you as horrified at the thought of this trend as I am?
Image via Cisc1970/Flickr
Tie-Dye for the Fourth of July!
Mom Survives Horrific Domestic Abuse
Kim and Kanye's Baby Name Predictions!
Moms Love Birthday Parties, Too!
Comments 772
Girls were already doing it when I was in high school and I'm only mid-20s.
this isn't anything new, not everyone likes a bush hangin out of their swimsuit, etc.
I'm 28 and went "bare floor" at 16. This doesn't horrifiy me at all, and I'm really, really conservative about girls, young women, and sex. It's a culture thing, not a sex thing.
I'm kinda w/ Beaz on this...
Embarrassing teen moment-seeing your friend's bush hanging out the sides of the crotch of her shorts while she was sitting outside (it was the 80's) and I was standing pavement level
I think you're overreacting. I did this when I was fifteen because I was a gymnast and I didn't want to risk any embarassing moments. I had friends that were swimmers and dancers who did the same thing. Not that big of a deal.
I understand getting rid of stray hairs that might show in a swimsuit, but THE WHOLE THING? At 15? Come on. If you're a gymnast or a swimmer, okay, but why did all the rest of you feel the need to do it? As a mom now, I'm curious.
I did it at 13 just because I didn't like it. I don't even think I had seen porn or anything like that either that would have possibly "inspired" me. I've been bare ever since. And I wasn't sexually active for quite awhile by today's standards.