Director and feminist Chidera Eggerue has produced a documentary for a British TV channel that deals with the cultural history of female pubic hair. In the process, she develops a strong plea against full shaving. The film »Bring Back the Bush: Where Did Our Pubic Hair Go?« is currently running repeatedly on Channel 4.
At some point in the last few decades, the idea has developed that female pubic hair is a relic of prehistoric times that should be eradicated. There is hardly a woman who does not shave her pubic hair at least extremely short. In porn, there are now tendencies towards more nature again, but the standard in porn still is complete hair removal.
According to director and activist Chidera Eggerue, this practice, which was still rather unusual two or three decades ago, is based in part on the misconception that pubic hair is unclean and a hygienic problem. In her film, she develops a passionate plea for the return of the pubic hair, which she affectionately calls bush.
Besides numerous private persons, porn star Lena Paul was also interviewed for the documentary. She is one of the porn stars who merely trim and shape her pubic hair instead of shaving it completely. According to Lena Paul, this leads to a divided sentiment among her fans.
The award-winning actress says: »It’s very polarizing. There is definitely a lot of men that are like, ‘Oh my God, her bush is disgusting! Lena Paul is so cute, but she would be so much hotter if she shaved’.«
Since porn habits also shape our lives, Eggerue believes that the pubic hair-free standard in porn movies has contributed to the fact that men now expect women to be shaved. To prove her thesis, she interviews men who confirm this idea.
Since Eggerue is an activist, she gets the interviewed man to have his own pubic hair removed during a waxing session. And as this is a painful procedure, the result is predictable. In fact, while many men prefer women who shave their pubic hair they do not even trim their own.
What do VAN readers think? Is it time for the bush to return? Or should men also finally shave their pubic hair or at least trim it? Who finds a little stripe of hair erotic? Should porn movies at least partially show pubic hair again? Let us know.
You can find more information about the movie here.
Back in 2012, there was an amusing campaign by YouTuber Anastasia Emanuel.