Why aren't men expected to shave their armpits?

Question

This time of year you see lots of guys wearing vests - and great big hairy tufts coming from their armpits. Please shave them lads!

Answer 1

Yes, this does seem to be a rather persistent double standard and I do agree that hairless armpits look better. But, then again, I'd say the true ideal would be a culture where gender is not the most prominent factor in whether a person shaves it off or lets it grow. Who's to say what looks prettiest anyway?

Added: I would say that men aren't generally expected to shave their armpits because "masculinity" is socially constructed to be "natural" and "authentic". "Femininity" on the other hand, is constructed as something to be perfected. Women are expected to make themselves "pretty" to look at (eg smooth and hair-free rather than rough and hairy) and, in turn, men are expected to spend their time getting on with *doing* the looking at them.

Both sexes are equally guilty of perpetuating this stereotype. Indeed, some women are very precious about maintaining their role in this set-up and appear to become quite threatened by vain men who might end up scrubbing up better than them!

Personally, I think women have everything to gain if we end this oppression of men. Those peacocks are dying to come out (if only we let them)!

Answer 2

I shave my armpits every two days. I simply do it while in the shower, usually right before I shave my chest, then my c ock and balls.

Men should at least trim their armpit hair if they are gonna wear sleeveless garments.

Answer 3

Oh No! Men shaving underarms....don't send them down that road. We've got enough sweet smelling, baby faced, smooth, namby pamby men...lets hear it for the hairy, sweaty men who aren't afraid to show their hairy armpits

Answer 4

Men,like women are free to grow hair or shave any part of the body.

Answer 5

A true man has more hair than a woman (and not on their head, that's not what I'm talking about). Of course, too much hair is gross, but there's gotta be some. Girls/ Women have to be soft and sexy, so a man with no hair, in my opinion, isn't really a man.

Answer 6

I'm a woman and don't shave my arm pits. I never get a rash or little pimples under my arms like I did when I shaved.

Answer 7

because men need it if not they wouldn't be manly and they would smell of b o more believe it or not it helps them to stop stinking of b o smell then no joke if the man Wash's OK then it wont smell during the day the smell starts when they don't go in for days

Answer 8

Why aren't women expected to shave their cooter's?

Answer 9

Because we're men and we don't want to use silly creams/ razors etc

Answer 10

I think it would look weird if they shaved.