While sitting in a dorm room watching several friends get dressed up for Halloween on Wednesday night, I overheard a friend of mine say she can’t wait for the infamous No Shave November. Considering I was with all women, I was taken aback by the statement. As several of my friends began to discuss their plan to shelve their razors for the next month, I began to think.
Since its origin, No Shave November has been focused on the growing of facial hair, which usually wouldn’t — and shouldn’t — apply to women. As the meaning of the month changed and the tradition became more popular, many women decided that they, too, would participate, including my friends. For them, it would be simple; just as men do, they would not shave or even look at a razor for all 30 days.
Before that moment, it had never occurred to me that girls would even consider participating in the monthlong event. Personally, I was weary toward the idea, and for two particular reasons. First, because, traditionally, women shave on a regular basis, it gives an unsavory visual for men and women alike. Second, No Shave November always has been about men growing out their facial hair, and since women do not commonly grow facial hair, it would seem unnecessary to take part in the event without inevitable distaste.
To me, it seems as though men always are looking for an excuse to grow out their facial hair. I have heard every excuse in the book, from No Shave November to playoff beards to growing a beard for charity. The wildly popular month of not shaving originally came about as a men’s health awareness movement, and somehow, as it spread throughout the world, it changed into a testosterone-ridden competition between men everywhere.
When talking to my friends, they made the event sound liberating. It would mean allowing myself to be lazy and not having to risk razor burn for a whole month. My friends seemed passionate about the event, stating that shaving was unnecessary, especially because the weather is not really permitting revealing clothing. Although they made a good point and this idea sounded somewhat appealing, personally, if I was not to shave for a whole month, I would feel unclean.
I do commend all the women out there who are brave enough to participate in the event, but I think I’m just going to leave this one to the boys this year.
Lindsay Spagnuolo is a State News staff reporter. She can reached at spagnu42@msu.edu.
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