Braun, V. , Tricklebank, G. and Clarke, V. (2013) It shouldnt stick out ...

GENDER AND HAIR REMOVAL 27
not specifically ask about women's pubic hair. Fitting with a normatively, if unnaturally, hairless
female body (Toerien & Wilkinson, 2004; Yakas, 2009), participants generally situated pubic hair
as more unattractive on women than on men, with pubic hair removal framed as a way for
women to look more attractive. “Brazilian” waxes, specifically for women, have also been
represented in the media as a way to increase attractiveness (Peixoto Labre, 2002).
For men, in contrast, pubic hair was not perceived to impact their attractiveness in the
same way: “I think females [sic] pubic hair is less attractive than males [sic] pubic hair because
females ‘now days’ are expected to be well groomed, ‘plastic fantastic’, from head to toe” (36F,
20); “It’s natural but I think it looks yuck on females. Although it’s the opposite for males, I think
it’s more attractive if they’re ‘all natural’ rather than hairless or with a little bit” (03F, 19);
“[Pubic hair removal for men] must be very painful to remove it and unlike women, I can't see
how it could possibly make them more attractive” (32F, 22); and “Pubic hair removal is rendered
an unnatural, unnecessary activity for men, with pain” (23F, 21)—also cited as a rationale for no
removal.
For women, pubic hair removal effectively was presented as something that moves the
female body from unattractive to attractive; for men, from normal to possibly more attractive or
possibly less attractive. The contrast in talk about the attractiveness of male and female bodies
evokes and produces a gendered double standard where women, but not men, could be expected
to remove (pubic) hair to look (more) attractive. This contrast situates pubic hair removal as an
almost natural act for women, reiterating and perpetuating gendered constructions of appearance
as the domain of women (Black & Sharma, 2001). Men are able to remain “all natural” with little
negative judgement, possibly even gaining attractiveness by displaying their natural state. Our
finding contrasts with U.S. research, where men reported “sex appeal” as the second most