Used to have hairy legs as a teenage kid

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I never shaved my legs until I was 17, and I started getting hairy legs when I was almost 13. At the time I wasn't told that it wasn't socially acceptable for girls to have hairy legs, I just thought it was optional, meaning it was socially acceptable to have shaved or unshaved legs and that it didn't matter that much. I never looked at other girls legs and I didn't have enough close friends to discuss or learn the gender double-standards and all that stuff.

So for a few summers I most probably went out in shorts, showing legs that were covered in hair. And worse, I done PE at school once or twice a week, and I was most probably the only girl in the class who had these noticeably hairy legs showing.
I do remember one time, in one of my last PE lessons (when I was nearly coming up to leaving school), we were all sitting on the floor in the gym to listen to the teacher giving instructions about the lesson, and I noticed two girls near me were commenting to each other on my legs, saying ''look, she doesn't shave her legs....'' I suddenly felt embarrassed, and I put my knees under my T-shirt and frowned at the two girls. They looked so freaked out about my legs like it was such an important thing. I felt all uncomfortable throughout the rest of the PE lesson, and that was when I learned that it wasn't optional for girls to shave their legs if they didn't want to be singled out (which I didn't).

Did anyone else learn the hard way about shaving your legs?

Joe90, please do not let sheeple girls give you the impression that there is something wrong with how you look. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with hair. (You could smile a fake sad smile and tell them it's from a contagious hairy-leg disease. ) Edited to add: I have been made fun of, put down, told I was ugly and complimented on being attractive, so I've finally decided that the truth is how people react to other's appearances is more a function of the other person than how you look.

When I was in grade 7 all the girls had started shaving there legs and I didn't, I got embarrassed and asked my mom if I could shave and she didn't let me not totally sure why but maybe because I was already struggling to take care of myself and didn't want to add something else, or afraid of me cutting myself due to poor coordination, either way I didn't. I used to get teased because I didn't shave my legs. Then one day I wore capris, and so embarrassed about my unshaved legs that I wore shocks up to the capris, which made the teasing worse. One day before some banquet thing I had to go to I started shaving my legs didn't know what I was doing likely cut myself, my mom had to help me fix it up. I still struggling with shaving my legs to this day and most of the time don't bother. I hate the feeling when it grows back in the prikely feeling and in my mind why put all the effort to shave my legs for it to grow in the next day and be uncomfortable, I must rather have hairy legs because its softer. I would o to summer camp and not shave my legs girls though I was weird. But now I don't really care. I will go swimming without shaving and I figure if people have a problem with it that's their issue.

Nope.Because as you mentioned it, there is no cause to do, but its optional. Yop, there might be some Sissies chitchatting about you to dare, not being like them. Dumb Sissies, that want to chitchat and talk badly about other people, will always find a reason for that. If it would not have been your legs, then they would have chitchatted about any other nonsense, only to find a reason to chitchat about you.

I do it every now and then, if I am invited to bigger family festivities in summer, and it is that hot, that I am wearing short dresses.

But for me its something similar to Make-up or hairstyling. Ok, for a few occasions in the year, but definitly nothing necessary for every-day.

I was in a secure unit when I was a teenage girl and we weren't allowed razors.

We all had furry boots.

I also thought it was optional when I was younger and that it doesn´t matter until people started to commet about it because I wore shorts and so they could see my legs. I was embarrassed because I never thought about my legs or looked if other girls shave it or not and didn´t know that it is strange not to shave them. Finally at a school trip the other girls in my room showed me how to do it. I tried but didn´t like how my legs felt after and during the shave. So I had shaved legs for a while but later didn´t shave them again. Now I don´t do it usually, only if there´s a special occasion when I have to care about such things. But I don´t worry about what others think about my legs anymore in general. I mean, why should it not be optional? If someone is okay with it why should she do it? It is normal that you have hairs at your legs like you have them on your head. But nobody has the idea to shave her head. Of course you can do it but it´s optional as it is with the legs (or I think as it should be).
I don´t like it in general if people comment about such unimportant things which are optional like clothes hair style and so on.

I didn't shave until I was 24, when DH (then BF) bought me a razor. No other woman in my family have any leg hair or underarm hair, I wasn't even aware there are razors for ladies. I now shave my legs in summer only, and only below the knees, where they'd be exposed.

Sometimes I still feel it's unfair that I'm the only hairy girl (even though my leg hair is pretty sparse) in the family.

I also learned the hard way and it does hurt to be singled out

for many years I did everything needed to fit into societies ideas

now I live my life for me - no bra, no makeup and I never shave anywhere - anyone who does not like it can lump it

I got teased at school for having hairy legs, worse still having hairy arms and I would refuse to take my jumper off even when it was hot.
I remember once they tried to make me take my jumper off and I made sure I had a skivvy underneath my t shirt I got laughed at of course but I found that preferable to being laughed at for having hair where it shouldn't be.
I started to shave both my arms and legs at least twice a week ever since as it is embarrassing if I didn't.

Starting in 7th grade, we had PE and PE uniforms. It was the unwritten rule that we were expected to shave our legs. Not being good at such things as unwritten rules, I remained oblivious to this social expectation.

The hair on my legs wasn't dark or thick, it was fluffy and silky, and it soothed me to stroke it like one strokes a cat. I liked how, when I took a bath, little bubbles would cling to it and I could take my hands like "blades" and "shave" the bubbles off, making my legs slick.

So, I didn't shave my legs.

One day, some "popular girls" commented that I didn't shave my legs and tormented me mercilessly about it. I asked my mother if I could shave them (my legs, not the mean girls ) and she would not permit it. After being teased more (as if I were not already teased enough), I began to shave my legs anyway.

Now I generally do not shave my legs in winter, and wear opaque tights. In summer, I shave them from above the knee down.

I also do not feel compelled to shave under my arms.

If it is a violation of the social contract for me to not shave my legs or underarms, then what "benefit" am I to receive for having complied? It didn't get me dates, it didn't stop the teasing, it didn't stop people from looking at me as though I am a freak, it doesn't get me a higher rate of pay at work, etc.

While I continue to believe it is a pointless waste of time, I do it to spare myself embarrassment and judgment.

It does feel nice to rub my freshly-shaven legs on Egyptian cotton sheets, though.

this exactly!

in order to do it without cutting myself really bad I needed to use the expensive razors and all, and still it burned and all. For what and who? No one looks under my arms anyway and my legs have very little hair.

but you are right - when smooth it does feel nice, but only for a day or two then you have to do it again - why all the bother when natural gives us more time and is easier and we can be comfortable with ourselves

I have to use expensive blades, too. And every time I find one I like, after a few years they stop making it and replace it with something even more expensive.

I'm considering the nono! device.

Anyone here tried it?

The nono really just keep cutting (thermally) and needs replacement blades all the time and it costs about $250 for all that money why not go all the way and get a laser and take the hair totally off

Tria home laser
http://gethairfree.com/home-laser-hair- ... al-reviews

When I was 12, I started to get hair on my legs. I shaved for the 1st time during the spring of 6th grade. But I think I went for about 6 months needing to shave but not doing it--luckily it was winter.

I shave my legs but I don't understand why it is considered "necessary." I would stop shaving if I happened to start hanging out in a community where nobody shaved. I do it because I don't want people to judge me. It's obviously not about hygiene--you can still wash your legs if you don't shave them.

I suddenly got an obsession about conforming, and I really wanted to be like the other kids. So I broke some casual rules what the majority of the kids broke, like having your school uniform untidy (top button undone, tie loose, shirt untucked), and not bringing exercise books to class, and wearing a coat indoors, and eating in class, that sort of thing. I did actually gain respect from the other kids, and I was not as rejected as I used to be when I was first at secondary school. I even became class clown at times, and I was considered ''cool'' and ''witty''.

And then just as I thought I was doing great, one day in PE I suddenly got ridiculed by a couple of girls for being the only girl in PE class with noticeably hairy legs. I never knew one of the social rules was ''women have to shave their legs or else'', I always thought it was optional and was one of those things people didn't care if you shaved your legs or not. But when I noticed these girls were whispering about me and staring at my legs, I felt uncomfortable and upset. When I was sitting down in PE I covered my legs up with my arms, but then when I stood up I noticed the girls looking at my legs again and whispering again. I wish I had of said, ''yes, you've already said that, point taken!''

I've always thought ''ode to be NT'', but I also thought ''ode to be an Aspie who is not self-aware or sensitive to other people's thoughts and feelings''.

It should but optional, but I know what you mean Joe90. It's not nice to feel ridiculed. I can't remember how old I was when other girls started pointing at my hairy legs, I must have been in 2nd year of high school. My mum wouldn't buy me a razor, so I used to shave my legs at a friends house and use her razor. If I couldn't get hold of a razor I wore leggings for P.E. class. Then I began to save my lunch money up and buy razors for myself.

It was pretty awful getting to that point where suddenly being natural isn't ok anymore and you get ridiculed for being who you've always been. We live in a weird world. I still resent the hair removal thing, but I do it anyway.