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From: jeff@rtech.ARPA (Jeff Lichtman)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Self Mutilation
Message-ID: <342@rtech.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 1-May-85 02:46:12 EDT
Article-I.D.: rtech.342
Posted: Wed May  1 02:46:12 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 19-May-85 07:13:54 EDT
References: <572@cadovax.UUCP> <371@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP>
Organization: Relational Technology, Berkeley CA
Lines: 43

> >> I have always disliked the idea of self mutilation, as practiced by man or
> >> women. The shaving of leg hair is just as barbaric as the shaving of facial
> >> hair.  It is in the same class as wearing lip discs.
> >
> > And cutting your hair, and trimming your fingernails...
> 
> I don't think so.  Cutting your hair, trimming your fingernails, etc. is
> for your own comfort and convenience.  While I don't necessarily agree
> that shaving your legs or beard is self-mutilation, I do think it's done
> primarily to bow to miscellaneous pressures to conform to some sort of
> social norm.  It seems to me that each person should be able to choose
> what's comfortable for him/her, without having to worry about what other
> people will think, whether or not it will cause problems on job
> interviews and in social situations, etc.
> 
> Melinda Shore 

I agree, but let's keep in mind that it's easy to react against conformity,
too.  I don't want to be judged just because I shave my face (see original
posting, calling the practice "barbaric").  Sometimes fitting in is what's
most comfortable for a person (actually, the main reason I shave is that my
face itches when I let my beard grow) , and I see no reason that someone
should be condemned for conforming as long as he or she doesn't expect others
to conform as well, and the standard being conformed to doesn't hurt anybody.

I'm not much of a conformist, and I've always believed that many people in our
society spend too much time trying to be like everyone else.  But I've also
learned to take a charitable attitude toward my neighbors who don't conform
to non-conformity.

What does all this have to do with this newsgroup?  Just this: I would like
for feminists to be tolerant of women who are more conformist than they,
for example, women who shave their legs, wear nothing but dresses, and
believe that men should rule their families.  Before you get angry, let
me say that I don't agree with these standards (especially the last).
But I also believe that someone can be a good person while conforming to
standards I don't believe in.
-- 
Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)
aka Swazoo Koolak

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