Feeling Torn

[sarah_hillcrest]

This weekend I was riding mountain bikes with some friends, it was hot. We stopped to rest and take a group picture. I unzipped my jersey all the way down and opened it wide revealing the straps of my bib shorts and the upper part of my chest which I have shaved smooth. I've always had a hairy chest that spilled out over my collar so my buddies had some laughs at my "sexy chest." It was all in good fun and I even did some poses, but it heightened something I've been feeling lately.

I'm lucky as I have never suffered from dysphoria, I wouldn't say I haven't felt it, but it's never really been bad. I've had a beard since I was 16, my father and I didn't have the kind of relationship where he'd teach me to shave and I didn't ask, but I was actually happy when I started growing a beard. I had never felt like a proper male, and having a beard helped, plus it hid the fat under my chin. I shaved it completely off for the first time a month ago, much to the annoyance of my wife who likes it, and also to the annoyance of my male self who also likes it.

Every time I take a shower I grab my razor and shave a bit more body hair off, here or there. I'm finding a bit of conflict in myself between enjoying looking more feminine at the expense of certain masculine things, like a waterfall of chest hair that hangs out of my collar LOL.

[Barbara Black]

My problem is quite the opposite. I would like to shave everything off and keep it off, well, except for my head, I'd like more up there. I would like to keep my legs and chest shaved, and can do that now that summer is over. The problem is that my wife cringes at shaving anything. But there's nothing like a pair of freshly shaven legs to pull stockings over.

[Stacy Darling]

Not surprised that you are torn Sarah! Looking good as a man or good as a woman?
Tear that hair out either way!
Stacy!

[Fiona123]

I have the chest hair issue too. I just hate all that bushy hair. I do have euphoria. I have been shaving my neckline lower so that hair does not stick out of my collar. Eventually I will shave it all.

[SIZE=1]- - - Updated - - -[/SIZE]

Dysphoria not euphoria

[Teresa]

Sarah,
I'm glad to see it gone but I know I have to keep it under control everyday, so it's chest and legs daily, I really should do my hands and lower arms everyday as well, I'm amazed how quickly the hands grow back .

I've gone from liking chest hair as a younger man to really hating the sight of it now especially when it turns grey .

[halljennifer]

Sarah I feel rather similar to what you are saying. I love being a guy, rocking the moustache, hairy chest, oddly enough I took a fair bit of pride in it. All though all along Jennifer was quietly telling me to get rid of it, in particular when wearing a cute top. I/Jennifer could not stand to see that much fur! The only thing I hate about shaving is the regrowth. The ingrown hairs are killing me. So waxing it is. Anyways Sarah you go girl!

😘 Jennifer

[Alice Torn]

Sarah Hillcrest, I have a similar problem. I also am torn between my masculine outdoorsy getting dirty and greasy self, and my Alice side. Hence, i named my lady side Alice TORN, as she is torn between. I have problem with thinning air on my head, and it seems to have moved to my back! Hairy back, hard to shave!

[Bobbi46]

Wet shaving encourages the hair wherever it is to go faster and more vigorous. I use an epilator all over and now I do not have to use so often as the hair has stopped altogether or is now very fine and slow growing I only wet shave in those awkward places. beside there's nothing like having no having no hair on my body at all and by the way none of my friends have remarked in summer when I where shorts mainly that there is no hair on my legs and arms at all.
Long may hairless bodies rule! LoL

[Krea]

I really hate my "masculine" chest hair these days and would love to get rid of it, but my wife rather likes it and i think she would be put off a bit if i shaved it regularly.
I had ECG a while back and that left me with some bald patches on my chest, so i used it as an excuse to shave the rest off. It just felt so wonderfully smooth.
I do my legs & underarms tho. Really love the feel of smooth legs!

[Bobbi46]

One should not feel torn between should I, shouldn't I. The less hair there is the more feminine one should feel, ever see a hairy woman? for me no hair means no hair and that's it.

[Marie-Jo]

Feel nothing, or nothing to feel
In early teens I saw hair grow on the legs, but then it just stopped so it has been next to nothing. That have not been a problem but late in life I sew the few hairs through the thin stockings and since, I keep them hairless. Can use the same one-time razor for months. On the chest I have about 4 hairs around each nipple, no more. Need to use a magnifying mirror to get rid of them. No need to shave. Never seen a hair on the back. Face hair is so scarce and nowadays nearly white and invisible. Have never been able to grow even a mustache. I don't even have hair on arms, less than many woman. My two brothers about the same, My father a little more hair but not much.
Yes, not so manly but have not been much of a problem. Now as a CD it really is a blessing! It is probably CD genes in my body.
Fortunately it is growing still up on the head where I need it most.

[alesha]

I don't have a lot of body/facial hair to begin with and sometimes I wish that I can grow a manly beard, but I come to my senses right away and I'm glad I don't have to deal with that.

I've been a cyclist/mtb'er for a long time and I've always shaved my legs. Every once in awhile some will make a comment about it but I just shrug it off.

[Dana44]

For me I shave from the neck down. But the legs, the hair seem to disappear except at the knee and the upper back legs. So they are easy to shave. The butt I use a trimmer on it as it does no seem to like a razor. Every thing on the front goes. However, I am not torn about it. I may go to electrolysis to get rid of my beard.

[GracieRose]

I have never been interested in growing hair, except on top of my head. I have shaved my face since hair started growing there as a teenager. When the dreaded hair started growing out of my ears and nose, I took to trimming those places and did a reassessment of hair growing elsewhere. I started shaving legs, chest, underarms etc. realizing that I didn't like the way it looked, but only left it there because that is what society expects of someone with a Y chromosome. No conflict here as everything looks cleaner shaved.

[Littlebee]

Well, I a conflicted person...I want it shaven from neck to feet...but I dont have the support from my wife, and the last time I shaved was a war....i keep them, and hide when I am dress...kind of hard and feeling bad about it...but that´s my life now days.

I don´t have lots of fur..

[Taylor Dame]

Fortunately I have very light and fine body hair, so I shave my legs and arms all year and no one has ever noticed. I am not conflicted because I have never liked chest or back hair. I do shave 2-3 times a week to maintain the smoothness, and I love it
.

[sarah_hillcrest]

Glad to see I'm not the only person who feels this way.

One should not feel torn between should I, shouldn't I. The less hair there is the more feminine one should feel, ever see a hairy woman? for me no hair means no hair and that's it.

True, and when I'm feeling feminine I'm all for shaving it all off, but I'm masculine about 6.5 days a week.

I've been a cyclist/mtb'er for a long time and I've always shaved my legs. Every once in awhile some will make a comment about it but I just shrug it off.

Yeap I've been thinking of that for years. I'm more of a roadie then mountain biker, but try to fit in to both groups.

I started by shaving my upper legs and fell in love with the sleek feel. Like I said I want to do it all, but maybe this winter. It's not that big of a deal I guess, it will always grow back as many of you have reminded me. LOL

[Jenny22]

I am blessed as mostly hairless.. none on my upper torso, and now my sparse leg hair is grey, so no need to shave anywhere except my face. I love it!

[curvious]

The balance is feeling incredible, smooth and dressed for 4 hours (or whatever) a week and then feeling guilty or "out of sorts" and less masculine the other 164 hours of the week. I shaved my legs once about 25 years ago in the winter and had never stopped thinking about how incredible that felt until it all grew back. And I went through feeling shameful and guilty and like a creep while it was growing back. Then about a 10 years ago, I started rimming everything Legs, chest, underarms, arms. I realized I could trim everything back and shave my upper arms (elbows up) and no one noticed, then while still trimming everything, I started shaving my upper legs and hips. Felt incredible. Finally I moved to shaving my chest. My wife was torn between loving the smoothness and my hair. But she said it is your body. your decision. then I shaved my legs. She never noticed - for almost 2 months until I mentioned it to her. She then said "I did notice something different and thought you were working out a lot more because they looked so smooth and muscular lately." Honestly, All, 90% of our concerns of notice-ability and fear of acceptance is in our heads.

[Tracii G]

Nothing worth while is ever easy.

[Alice B]

I have always had light hair and not very thick,except for my head. I totally shave and have done so for a few years now. Totally accepted by my wife as she is now used to it and if I go for more than a few days without body shaving i feel dirty. Once you have done a body shave you will want it no other way and in our current society body shaving is now common and accepted. Go for it.

[Zoe72]

I have also had hair issues, i went and had lazer hair removal. It kills all the dark hair but the light hair has no colour pigments and can not remove them, it works but takes a few visits and alot of shaving the night befor lol

[sarah_hillcrest]

Once you have done a body shave you will want it no other way and in our current society body shaving is now common and accepted. Go for it.

The more I think about it the more I agree with you. I just read that 1/3 men are now shaving their body hair, so I guess it's something I shouldn't be that worried about.

The balance is feeling incredible, smooth and dressed for 4 hours (or whatever) a week and then feeling guilty or "out of sorts" and less masculine the other 164 hours of the week.

Yeap, but there are many good feelings associated with it throughout the rest of the week too. Laying in bed with my wife last night I began rubbing my bare thighs against her legs and I wanted to immediately go shave the rest of my hair off it felt so amazing. I'm think I'll do it soon.

[marlacd]

Maybe it's just me, but when my legs are hairy, occasionally it feels like a bug is walking up my leg. It's just the hair moving about, I know that. But, that can and does wake me up at night. That stopped when I started shaving my legs.

Now my beard- that is my true shaving job. I can kill razor blades faster that you can sneeze. Electric, multi blade, it doesn't matter. The only razor that held up to my beard, was the old Remington Rollectric- and they stopped making those years ago.

As far as feeling manly with body hair-Meah! I never did.