My niece (age 8) has armpit hair and she is really embarrassed about it. She feels the societal pressure to remove it, but she is afraid to use a razor, and she doesn't know what to do about the fact that it will keep growing back even if she does. Her mom has been encouraging her to love herself and realize that all people have armpit hair once they are becoming/become adults. It is nothing to be ashamed of, and there are so many options of how to deal with it (my sister told her EVERY option including dying it pink, lazering it when she is older, shaving, waxing when she is older, trimming with scizzors... she tried to think of every option).

After a lot of talk, my niece admitted that she likes the softness of her armpit hair, and right now she thinks the best option for her is to just leave it and wear t shirts instead of tank tops.

In solidarity, my sister (her mom) and I are going to grow our armpit hair over the summer. We want to show her that natural IS beautiful, and that ONLY SHE should dictate what happens to her own body, and when.

Teach our girls to love themselves! Teach our girls how to resist societal pressure and make their own decisions!

More and more love 💝 Wombankind is beautiful

Update 23 June 2018:

A couple of days ago, the family was going to a neighborhood playground with water features, wearing swim suits and tank tops etc. Haha some of my nieces and I were all talking, including another teenage niece I have, and I was telling the older one about this summer of natural underarms choice haha showing them the length of the hair. My big niece said "yeah I noticed that but I didnt know why, dont you usually not shave at all?" (she is right, I didnt use to... have gone long periods without using razors at all I should say.)

The 8 year old one was asking if it is still pokey and I said no, it's getting much softer now, and she laughed and said how soft hers is and how she loves it and how soft it is.

Her whole attitude about it has changed since we made this choice. She seems confident and playful, LIKE A CHILD SHOULD BE, instead of being self conscious.

I am seriously grateful to have a family like mine. We are not at all perfect but one thing I can say, we have learned from all our collective mistakes, and been able to come together and support our loved ones.

And I am eternally honored to be an auntie to such beautiful souls as all my nieces (and my one nephew haha). They are truly lovely and I am happy to be an example in their lives for how to love ALL life even deeper.

☥☥☥