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An American uni is giving girls extra marks if they don’t shave their armpits

by

The Tab

And men can take part by shaving all their body hair off

American unis are awarding students extra degree marks if they don’t shave their their body hair for 10 weeks.

Arizona State University is dishing out extra credits to encourage students to challenge society’s norms by walking around with hairy armpits and legs.

Female participants stop shaving the hair beneath their body for the entire semester, while keeping a journal of the experience. And boys can also take part by removing all their body hair.

The exercise, which is part of the Women and Gender Studies course, has been described as a “life-changing experience” by students on the course.

Katherine Soper wrote for The Tab about her hairy armpits

Katherine Soper wrote for The Tab about her hairy armpits last year

The professor behind the idea, Prof Breanne Fahs, told ASU news: “There’s no better way to learn about societal norms than to violate them and see how people react.

“There’s really no reason why the choice to shave, or not, should be a big deal. But it is, as the students tend to find out quickly.”

Stephanie Robinson, who decided to do the assignment after her third class said it changed her life.

She said: “Many of my friends didn’t want to work out next to me or hear about the assignment, and my mother was distraught at the idea that I would be getting married in a white dress with armpit hair.

“I also noticed the looks on faces of strangers and people around campus who seemed utterly disgusted by my body hair. It definitely made me realize that if you’re not strictly adhering to socially prescribed gender roles, your body becomes a site for contestation and public opinion.”

And she said part of the reason she finally took the plunge was that she felt left out because all the students doing it were bonding.

She said: “It’s interesting how peer pressure within the class can create a new norm. When practically all of the students are participating, they develop a sense of community and enjoy engaging in an act of rebellion together.”

Prof Breanne Fahs said she wants students to rebel and challenge society's norms

Prof Breanne Fahs said she wants students to rebel and challenge society’s norms

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The assignment was part of a course at Arizona State University

The assignment was part of a course at Arizona State University

Prof Fahs – who has won awards for the idea – said it wasn’t quite as rebellious for men, because so many already shave some of their body hair, but it gave them an insight into the work needed for women to control their body hair.

Male student Kurt Keller said: “Although a co-worker questioned why I shaved my legs, I felt comfortable in my own skin.

“It helped having classmates who were so willing to lay it on the line too.

“I think shaving is an expectation that partners can place on each other because of personal taste.

“However, just because a boyfriend or girlfriend pressures you to shave, it must be your own decision.

“I really hope that people, including myself, can treat our bodies with respect, regardless of relationship expectations.

“If your partner expects you to do something that feels unnatural, at that point there needs to be a separation, or at least a discussion.”

Another student, Grace Scale, told ASU News she dumped her boyfriend after he spent an evening telling her how much he hated her body hair.

She said: “This was the first time that anyone had critiqued my body in such a way, and I didn’t even have to think twice about the following breakup.”

Read more

I’m a woman and I don’t shave my body hair – get over it

ASU professor encourages students to defy body hair norms (ASU news original story)

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  • dfdf

    I’m sure this degree will lead to very employable graduates.

  • eyremeister

    Shaving “must be your own decision” unless of course your grades depend on it.

    A perfectly interesting excercise but very superficial

    • Nicole

      Their grades don’t depend on it- it is purely for extra credit, which they can use to boost their grades if they struggle in other areas, or just to maximize what they already have.

      • Helpnxt

        So if they want the best grades they can’t shave at all in other words, good to see its a personal choice and not bribery

        • All of the feels

          Clearly what she is doing here is awful.. liberating young people and helping them question the status quo- damn that is the opposite of what a college education is for!

          • abc

            Giving credit for nonsense is stupid. Reducing a degree mark to essentially a dare game is ludicrous. Perhaps I should get extra credit for eating with my fingers. Political correctness gone mad.

  • abc

    Is this serious? World has gone completely mad.

  • Oppressed Male

    So men have it easier when we don’t shave and it’s oppressive to women AND men have it easier when we have to shave? How does that work?

    • cishet scum

      Logic don’t real only feels

    • :)

      It’s also worth noting that she says ‘it gave them an insight into the work needed for women to control their body hair.’ (them being men). I don’t know if anyone else has noticed but I get the feeling that it actually requires much more work for a man to be completely shaved than for a woman. You know men having a lot more hair on their body’s (in most cases) and all.
      The idea that she has won awards for this is beyond my comprehension.

      • All of the feels

        If women were actually allowed to grow our body hair you would find that we still grow a significant amount. Clearly you’ve never smothered your entire body in hair removal cream and stood like a dickhead in the bathroom trying not to move in order to ensure that you’re up to standard for a date.

        • abc

          No one is forcing you, and honestly I wouldn’t care if you did or didn’t.

        • :)

          I think you should see a doctor about that chest, facial and back hair you have love.

  • disgusted

    So a failing student has to publicly embarrass themselves to pass? Yeh, that seems fair

  • abc

    Or to put it another way, would you be happy knowing that some of your student fees goes to this sort of degree, or from taxes if you are against having fees at all?

  • Hmm

    If women are offended by another woman’s body hair, is it anti-feminist? Being as feminism is just about equality, despite the stigma surrounding the word

  • whomeyeahyou

    I’d rather reserve the right to be perturbed.

    • abc

      I need feminism because you aren’t thinking the way I want you to!

  • Darth Rector

    Why is it only ugly women always going on about this? Hmmm.

  • Feminist4Never

    Just when you thought feminism couldn’t get any more weird… At least if this catches on amongst the hardcore feminists it will be an easy way to identify the crazies before you mistakenly talk to them.

  • This is retarded.

    Who gives a shit?
    Do what you want with your body…nobody cares. But don’t expect me to find your ugly ass attractive.
    Have fun with your manlet boyfriends who give in to your every moan and whim.

  • l-str

    If they were doing it just because they feel like it, that would be a personal choice undefined by social norms. This is not only making a stand against said norms, so still existing with regard to these norms, it is also doing what their teacher dictates they should do to fit with her idea of society, and this in order to get extra credit, how is that anything other than selling their body image?