For many years now, I have been following one of Sweden's biggest blogs. A girl who calls herself Foki writes it.
For every year, even though I feel like people should get smarter when they get older, I am struck by how stupid this person is in her opinions. She really lives in a tiny beauty bubble where everything else is laughable and weird. She has even written a post once about how quirky we hairy feminists, we are so extreme and embarrassing you know...
Anyway.
China recently released these leggings. The purpose of these is for a women to be able to take these on and avoid being flirted with.
Just the thought of that bothers me. Why should we keep pushing on how unattractive it is for a woman to have hairy legs?
But what angered me more than the leggings themself was the comments Foki received from her readers.
As my sister said:
So many faces to punch.
I will hereby translate the worst comments into English to show how crazy this world we are living in is:
1. I almost threw up when I saw the picture.
2. God, how nasty, even as a woman I would flee from such a caveman if I didn't know it was leggings!
3. Yes, there is something for people who want to be forever alone.
4. Thanks for the picture. My breakfast was just destroyed.
5. So ugly! I would rather be persecuted and molested by guys than to walk around in those.
Why why why?
If a man has hairy legs, it isn't considered neither disgusting or repulsive? People do not tend to loose their appetite when they see a man in shorts. When do we women get to have hairy legs without feeling constantly observed and evaluated?
Usch jag stör mig så sjuuukt mycket på sådant här! Om killar får ha håriga ben varför ska inte kvinnor också få ha det? Män har ju dessutom MER hår än kvinnor men det är inte ansett äckligt överhuvudtaget. Dubbelmoral!
ReplyDeleteSkorna jag köpte finns i svart spets också. www.melba.se
Precis, det är verkligen helt galet att det ska vara såhär! men jag hoppas att vi kan förändra det :)
DeleteBravo, I completely agree with you.
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to add that I don't think that the leggings would work anyway, some of the worst street harassment that I've had has been when I'm wearing really unflattering clothing and that's because street harassment is usually about power rather than letting a girl know she's pretty.
That is very true, people who wasn't dressed "sexy" at all is also being raped and harrassed.
DeleteI saw once a blonde girl...she didn´t have shaved her legs, but it was barely seen, because well, she was blond :D But still you could see that in the sun. Some people gave her really weird looks and rolled their eyes, but I don´t get why. It´s her choice. -_-
ReplyDeleteBoys don´t need to do almost anything...and girls always "must" shave almost everything. And look perfect. And when not then she´s disgusting, a feminist or something like that. -_-
It's so sad. I have to admit that a few years ago I was one of them who thought girls with dirty hair and sweatpants at the store was really weird for going out looking like that. But since I have matured so much and realized that people should not have to dress to please others, I at least have a little hope for the rest of the world :P
DeleteYou know, we shall ignore such statements, and carry on the way we are. The person who loves would not really care if you shaved your legs today or not.
ReplyDeleteBut those leggings - WHO actually invented them and HOW such idea came to that person's mind? Unbelievable!
Well, I cant ignore such stuff. :'D I think it's important to bring it up and discuss in order to influence others with my thoughts and make a difference. :)
DeleteBut you can't change people's thinking and make them think the way you do. Though there is no harm in trying of course.
DeleteThink about the women who fought for women's right to vote. What if they had reasoned like that instead of trying harder? :)
DeleteI've been discussing this item with other feminists lately, and we brought up a lot of issues.
ReplyDelete1. Why is hair considered to be unattractive? Boys can go around covered in hair and still be considered attractive. Also, why should I suffer the pain of a wax to be considered attractive enough for society?
2. Harassers and assaulter certainly won't restrain themselves from attacking us just because our legs are hairy. Rape is not about sexual arousal, it's about violence and dominance. They don't rape you because they like you: they do it because they don't.
3. I mean, I can't let my hair grow because it offends people's sense of beauty, but there's no problem if I have hair on me to defend myself against assaulters?
4. Why on earth should I be the one defending myself wearing this shit? Why don't they tell them not to rape instead?
5. Why don't they just tell us "let your hair grow"? Is it so unacceptable for a woman to have hair on her legs, that in order to have hairy legs she has to shave them first, and then put on tights with hair on it?
How sick is that...?!
I even saw this picture on 9gag and then I became even more depressed over the world! So many people who thinks hair is gross and disgusting on girls.
DeleteAnd I totally agree with you, hairy legs would not make any difference in a rape.
Det finns två saker med det här som jag finner extra sorgligt:
ReplyDelete1. Att vi fortfarande försöker uppfinna saker KVINNOR ska ha på sig/ göra, undvika, till och med trycka upp i sin slida - för att INTE BLI trakasserade eller våldtagna. Istället för att ändra på hur vi UPPFOSTRAR våra män!
2. Att om en kvinna hade satt på sig sådana här så hade hon säkerligen blivit minst lika trakasserad, om inte mer, av varenda kotte på stan som ansåg sig berättigad att säga åt kvinnor hur de ska se ut.
Väl talat. Som Lesthi skriver i inlägget "skönhetsbubblan". De som skriver sådant här lever i e bubbla där sådant är viktigt. Som tur är har jag träffat både män och kvinnor som tänker klokare.
DeleteJa det är ju tyvärr så, ofta läggs så mycket skuld på kvinnor och hur vi är klädda. Jag kommer hävda förevigt att vi ska kunna gå omkring NAKNA på stan utan att bli våldtagna, för det är så det borde vara.
DeleteI just don't understand people. This is a really stupid product, but these comments, especially #5 are disgusting.
ReplyDeleteIt's really sad. That blogger has the power to influence thousands of young girls who reads her blog daily, so it's horrible when she writes stuff like that.
DeleteI agree with You (I for example shave my legs,but it's not a problem for me if a girl has hairy legs.). But I wonder how is it possible, that men are allowed to appear "topless" in public (On a beach. Working outside. At a barbecue with friends...)and women do not? It's equally hot for them and for us.
ReplyDeleteYes, that is really disturbing as well. Escpecially since I know that women find it supersexy if a physically fit man are working topless.
DeleteWomen's breasts are also sexualized, and that's why we do not get to show the in public. So therefor since men's bodies are stared at in such a position as well it ought to apply the same rules for both sexes.
“So many faces to punch.” I like your sister. I may have said that before. ;o)
ReplyDeleteHaha, she has good comments! ^^
DeleteI hate that! The reactions are ridiculous! Plenty of my friends don't shave their legs and I've seen lots of positive reactions to them by both men and women. But it begs the question that we shouldn't have to wear anything to not be harassed. It's the same as people claiming that it was the women's fault for wearing a certain type of clothes and getting harassed. Grr!
ReplyDeleteYes it's exactly the same thing. It's far too often women are told doing this or that to avoid being raped.
DeleteMan vet inte om man ska skratta eller gråta. Jag har valt, för längesedan, att försöka ignorera såna här människor. Jag mår mycket bättre då. :)
ReplyDeleteDeras bubbla kommer att spricka en vacker dag, den dagen asgarvar vi. :)
Ah yes, och jag håller med din syster, well spoken! Fast jag tror inte det hade hjälpt, de hade nog bara blivit dummare.
Jag vill inte ignorera, jag vill diskutera och påverka andra människor för att kunna göra skillnad :)
DeleteJa jag hoppas att Foki en dag kommer mogna till sig när det kommer till såna här ämnen.
Haha, ja den risken finns :'D