A brief history of women's pubic grooming

"One must suffer to be beautiful," according to the old saying. For some, pubic grooming is part of those necessary, painful rituals.

It was already fashionable in ancient times, whether in Egypt or ancient Rome. Women used polished shells or stones, bat blood, calf urine or donkey fat to get rid of unruly pubic hair. Others preferred bronze knives, pumice or beeswax. Another technique was to twirl pubic hair off with thin threads. Some even applied orpiment, a highly toxic mineral containing arsenic, to dissolve the unwanted hair. It took some time before the modern razor or epilator were invented.

Yet, there must be a biological purpose to body hair to start out with. "It doesn't just grow there because it was forgotten in the course of evolution; hair has a protective function," said Mithu Sanyal, a cultural scientist and journalist.

Pubic hair serves as a natural barrier for pathogens and it can prevent injuries. Sanyal believes that those who justify trimming pubic hair for hygiene reasons, especially in desert regions with a shortage of water, are only using those arguments as a pretext. What needs to be kept in mind, pointed out Sanyal, is that "pubes give off scents, so-called pheromones, that make you irresistible."

As the author of a book titled "Vulva: The Revelation of the Invisible Sex," Sanyal has studied the history of the female genitalia in depth.

Thin strip or bush?

Over the centuries, there have always been different fashions for pubic hair, Sanyal pointed out. "But it's not just about getting rid of this hair, it's about being creative with it," she told DW.

Beyond those who keep a thin strip, get rid of all pubic hair (also known as the Brazilian wax) or go for the bikini wax (removing what might stick out the edges of a bathing suit), others choose to create shapes such as hearts or flowers, or even get it dyed.

In some Eastern countries, pubic hair is considered uncivilized and people prefer to keep the genital area smooth. Islam even imposes this commandment on believers: "It is frowned upon to let pubic hair grow for longer than 40 days."

Meanwhile, in some cultures in Africa or the South Seas, pubic hair is considered a sign of fertility. What can be observed, points out Sanyal, "is that in countries where women have less pubic hair for genetic reasons, such as in Thailand or Japan, a full bush is considered desirable. So people generally want what they don't have."

From church taboos to pubic wigs

In ancient Rome, as part of its bathing culture, it was customary for women to shave their pubic hair.

The procedure, however, became taboo during the Middle Ages. At least officially, because the Catholic Church forbade the sinful treatment of one's own body. There is not enough information about whether and how the women of that time reacted to this decree.

Between the 16th and 18th centuries, a lush bush was actually considered a sign of good health, said Sanyal.

"Syphilis was very common at the time. Pubic hair often fell out as a result," she said. "In order to appear healthy, people wore pubic wigs." Such wigs were popular with women in the sex trade. If clients gave them pubic lice, it was easier to remove the crabs after the act.

More exposure for intimate parts

Today, the media, but above all the internet, have standardized the attitudes toward pubic grooming worldwide.

"When the Brazilian wax first appeared in one of the big, popular TV series in the 1990s, in 'Sex and the City,' demand for Brazilians went through the roof. New standards and new norms were set," said Sanyal.

As the media started revealing more and more skin, the beauty ideals of hairless bodies became globalized.

This affected Germany too, where pubic hair grew unhindered in the 1980s. The French women's rights activist and journalist Florence Herve commented in one of her books that German women could be recognized by their "Germanic jungle." "The German women's movement in particular promoted a 'back to nature' approach," explained Sanyal about the cultural difference. In America, by contrast, a hairy woman would rather provoke an outcry.

Meanwhile, waxing studios have spread throughout the world, allowing their customers to get rid of unwanted hair, including underarm hair. And more and more men are shaving too — at least those of the younger generation.

With electrolysis, hot wax, lasers and electric razors, there are virtually no limits to pubic hair styles.

'Bush is back' movement

For the past decade, there has been a movement promoting the "return of the bush," though it is still seen by many as provocative.

Madonna's hairy armpit selfie posted on Instagram in 2014 sparked strong reactions. The picture can be seen "as a sort of political statement, because she is such a role model — especially for younger women," said Sanyal, pointing out how astonishing it is that people find hair disgusting even though it is completely natural. "That means that the state we artificially create is what is perceived as normal."

US stars such as singer Lady Gaga, rapper Doja Cat or actress Cameron Diaz have publicly admitted to having a full bush.

Diaz was celebrated and criticized for her views on the topic after she shared them in her 2013 work, "The Body Book," which has a section titled "In Praise of Pubes."

The late German actress Christine Kaufmann also spoke out in favor of pubic hair in her 2014 book "Lebenslust" ("Lust for Life"): "I am downright dismayed at how grown-up women want to turn themselves back into prepubescent girls. Pubic hair is part of my image of beauty," she wrote. "It should be looked after... like a small garden."

Celebrating diversity

The trend of celebrating pubic hair can be seen as part of the body positivity movement. But a lot of work still needs to be done to gain mainstream acceptance.

"Studies show that those who have normatively beautiful bodies, i.e. who are young and slim, are allowed to show more pubic hair on social media than if these bodies fall outside a norm," said Sanyal.

The cultural scientist argues that every person must be able to decide for themselves how they want to wear or not wear their body hair, without being torn down on social media for their personal choices. "I think we should actually be allowed to be celebrated in our diversity," she said.

For Sanyal, there's only one wrong way to talk about pubic hair, which is by using the German term for it namely, "Schamhaar" or "shame hair." 

"Because that implies that you should be ashamed of it."

This article was originally written in German.