Rula Al-Nasrawi is a Columbia Graduate whose writing has appeared in Vice, The Atlantic, and other online publications. Her first language is valley girl. Californian bred, NYC residing. @RulaOfTheWorld
One of my biggest pet peeves ever is when celebrities tell me what to do. I’m sorry, from where I’m standing your life seems kind of awesome but also really heinous so why are you giving me advice? Don’t tell me what low calorie brownies to eat, which world epidemic to be aware of, or what cut of jeans I should be wearing. Seriously, enough.
Last month, I got another taste of this when Cameron Diaz decided to publicly declare war on bikini waxes. In her book—yes she has a book, help—called “The Body Book: the law of hunger, the science of strength, the power of knowledge, and other ways to love your amazing body,” Diaz states that she has recently changed her tune on pubic hair, and has now deemed it beautiful. First of all, is this adequate content for a book? If you’re a movie star and you’re going to embark into the world of literature, first of all try keep your book titles under a paragraph long. Secondly, dedicating a section of your own book to praising pubes makes me so pissed off.
In her “book” Diaz says, “let’s be honest: just like every other part of your body, your labia major is not immune to gravity. Do you really want a hairless vagina for the rest of your life?” WHAT IF I DO CAMERON? Do you want to win the Burping Contest at the Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards for the rest of YOUR life? I don’t hear anyone pestering you about your life choices, let alone writing an obnoxious book about it. Also just over a year ago, Diaz made fun of her friend (aka Gwyneth Paltrow) about her “70s bush” saying “when she takes a bath it literally sways like seaweed.” Wait, why are you watching Gwyneth Paltrow’s pubes sway in the bathtub? Why are you even watching her pubes at all? WHY DOES ANYONE CARE ABOUT ANYONE ELSE’S BODY HAIR?
It’s not that I have an issue with body hair, because please, I’m Middle Eastern so it’s not something I haven’t seen before. But like, why is her holier-than-thou celebrity opinion even worth listening to? Cameron Diaz looks like she might have like three translucent pubic hairs anyway so what does she care? I like that she’s trying to spread awareness about loving yourself the way you are. There is nothing wrong with body hair, if you like yourself better with body hair. But coming from someone who actually enjoys waxing—not for the sake of others but for myself—I’m not interested in her argument about waxing being a fad that has run its course. I’m not doing it because it’s a fad, I’m doing it because I like it. We aren’t all following fads like you, Cam Cam.
Just this week, videos of Harnaam Kaur, a 23 year old UK teaching assistant surfaced all over the internet showing Kaur with a full grown beard. The beard is a result of polycistic ovary syndrome, and while Kaur admits to Barcroft TV that she did at one point have suicidal thoughts, she now sees herself as more beautiful than ever, and can truly own who she is. That’s what I call brave—not growing out your bush and writing a book about it.
We all need to feel comfortable in our skin, regardless of whether there’s hair on it or not. So if you’re pro bush, go for it. If you’re pro-being dolphin smooth everywhere, follow your heart. This isn’t rocket science people, just do what you want to do, don’t do it because Cameron Diaz burped the alphabet in your face and made you do it.