A woman with thick body hair has stopped shaving her hair and she says some people mock her for “looking like a man”
Bethany Burgoyne, 30, an artist from Essex, UK, has been growing out her body hair since 2018, reports Mirror.co,uk.
While growing up she felt pressured to shave her body hair to fit in with society’s “toxic” beauty standards.
However, at 27, she began to ask why she was removing body hair and whether she was doing it for herself or others.
Bethany arrived at the conclusion that hair removal is a ridiculous idea and she began embracing her body hair.
She now allows her leg, armpit, belly, chin, and pubic hair to grow out.
As she now has a three centimetre-long beard, Bethany said some people have called her a “man” and told her she “needed a shave” but she isn’t put off by the unkind comments.
Last year, Bethany discovered she had polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – a hormone imbalance that affects around one in 10 women worldwide.
PCOS can cause abnormal hair growth.
Rather than shave off her body hair caused by PCOS, Bethany dedicated her Instagram account to showing other women it’s okay to be hairy.
She went on to establish her own body-positive and sex-positive workshop called The Sassy Show. The classes involve sensual circles and stretching to encourage others to embrace their bodies without shame.
Bethany advises those who worry about their body hair to focus on feeling safe, secure, and beautiful in their own bodies. By showering yourself with compliments, she says with time you’ll truly believe it.
