It should be no secret to readers of my erotica that I have a strong preference for a hairless pussy. One thing I have wondered for a while is how prevalent shaving/waxing/etc. is in the general population. Certainly among those who model it’s commonplace — but what about the girl next door?
I finally stumbled across the first reputable measure I’ve seen:
Indiana University researchers Debby Herbenick and Vanessa Schick found in a recent study that nearly 60 percent of American women between 18 and 24 are sometimes or always completely bare down there, while almost half of women in the U.S. between 25 and 29 reported similar habits.
Good to know. Though there is quite a bit of wiggle room in “sometimes or always.”
For the record, I don’t think men are exempt. I think it would be ungentlemanly to force something hairy down a lady’s throat, take steps accordingly, and encourage other men to be considerate as well.
By the way, in Neighborly, I mentioned the girls of a high-school swim team going bare, and added in the author’s notes that this was drawn from a true example. I have heard from several people over the years that this is quite a usual girls’ team practice. How very pleasant to contemplate!
— Frenulum
I've wondered the same thing. From what I can tell from observation, the practice took off around 2002. So, not only have I wondered about the prevalence, I've wondered how it achieved critical mass around that time. Was there a memo?
ReplyDeleteI agree that there's lots of wiggle room in the figures cited in the quote. I wonder how they conducted their research, and if they polled any other (i.e. older) age group(s). The data suggest that "bareness" is more common in the younger demographic. By extrapolation, it's less common as women get older. I guess I'd expect that. Do you have access to the study?
Men too? Sure! That too may be more common than is thought.
Regards,
AH
I do have a copy of the paper. I will see if I can post it here; if not, I’ll at least post a link. The research was based on a larger study of lubricant use by sexually active women; the recruitment notice did not mention pubic hair, which helps to validate the results.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct about the age trend. From the paper:
As the current study provides only cross-sectional data, a longitudinal design would be better suited to address such a question as might an interview study that asks women about their shifting pubic hair removal behaviors over the course of their lives.
One more finding of interest: women who have smooth bare pussies score significantly higher on the Female Genital Self-Image Scale. (First of all, how cool is it that there is a FGSIS!?! And how can I get some research funding?) But the unanswered question is: is it that a girl who already loves her intimate flower wants to present it in the best possible light, or that a girl who clears away the fuzz gains a new appreciation for one of the prettiest sights in nature?
Thanks for your comments!
The copyright holder does not grant general permission to reprint, so I can’t host the paper here.
ReplyDeleteA google search for "Herbenick Schick" turns up a PDF link on the first page of results.