The femininst blogosphere played host to yet another scandal this year. This time, the contentious topic had to do with whether or not women could wax their pubes and still be good feminists, or something along the same lines.
The debate was very culture-specific. It made wonder about Muslim feminists, where does that leave them? After all, a lot of Muslim women out there believe that shaving one’s pubes is required, or at least recommended.
I don’t really have anything at stake here, seeing as I do not give a damn about whether or not I fit into whatever stereotypical mold of “proper feminist” is currently en vogue over here (hell, I’m sure there are people out there who think that my Sleeping Venus is anti-feminist), but the entire thing did make me think as to why do I do the things I do to my body. There is no definite answer. Some traditionally feminine trappings I find aesthetically pleasing on my own body (see this poetic, raunchy post on pubes and the like), others I do because I feel pressured to (particularly because there is a whole lot more demand for Ukrainain women to be perfectly put-together, even if they’re only going out to get a carton of milk, and yes, that’s a cultural thing as much as it is a patriarchal thing), yet others I reject outright (NOT a fan of high heels, for instance). I believe these things make me (us) human.
One of the greatest feminists I know in real life is a person who not only shaves her pubes, her armpits, and her legs, but also hardly ever leaves the house without a coat of pink lipstick and an assortment of gothic jewelry. I guess that American feminists who frown on that sort of thing among their homegrown counterparts might cut her some slack because she’s “from a different culture,” or something condescending like that. And this is why this “feministier-than thou” stuff gets so complicated and upsetting after a while, because you sense that it applies only to certain people who, for whatever reason, ought to know better (or not).
People can, and should, critique each other. But the root of the problem (har har), is the fact patriarchal culture inevitably pits (hardy har har) us against each other.
Natalia A. 
Feminism seems to be a little fascistic in a way, if it assumes a woman cannot wear lipstick and still be a “good feminist.” I believe that feminism should/would allow a woman to wear lipstick, high-heels and fishnets with shaven OR unshaven legs… if she wants to.
Too often, many assume that if a woman shaves a certain part or wears a certain item that she is doing so out of oppression or patriarchal compulsion… it’s not always the case. (You can see the same in the “hijab debate.”)
The “feministier-than-thou” attitude doesn’t take into account the long list of reasons that a woman might choose to do anything. If one says that all women who remove their pubes are trying to please men or fit into a porn-queen mold that leaves out lesbians, trichotillomaniacs, those who have skin afflictions, those who just don’t like the feel of it and many others.
You’re right to not give a damn about the stereotypical ideal (ha!) or mold of feminists. If they are really fighting to make all women fit their mold, how are they much better than the ones who force women into the other mold?
This is why I try to avoid labels.
I LOVE your blog! I don’t have much to say about this topic in particular because your commenters and you together have pretty much covered it, but just the fact of your posts, your links and your sleeping venus makes me very very happy!
Thank you for dropping by and saying all those nice things (twice!). I’m still looking up whose translation of Akhmatova that was. It was stolen from a friend while he wasn’t looking and I forgot to check! Now I’ve asked him and hopefully he’ll reply soon.
Thanks for visiting! Please keep writing and being awesome. You’re part of the reason I even have this blog. To communicate with cool people.
My own take on it is that we should all examine the reasons why we take part in beauty rituals, with the same scrutiny that we should apply to all our actions and the political consequences. Feminism doesn’t require adherance to a set of rules, but it does require reflection and the acknowledgement that the personal is political.
Getting into rows about how feminist whatever act is, however, ultimately functions to divide us and is based on patriarchal perceptions of outward appearance.
Personally, I want to see a world in which women can stroll out confidently without the worry about how they look, any ‘message’ they may be giving out, without feet damaged from heeled shoes etc.
I ID as radical feminist, case anyone wondered. I find that ‘label’ helpful as I broadly agree with most radfem arguments.