German Cultural Question

99.9% of women do shave here. I don't spend my entire existence looking for it, but it is true. I can think of only one young woman I have seen here with hairy armpits in the last, probably, 10 years! I do visit gyms and saunas 3 times a week!

My question is serious by the way, I am not poking fun at anybody here! Yes, it is also true that I like girls with hairy armpits and I agree it may appear strange. I guess I like it because its unusual and rarely seen here. Perhaps if it was common place I would not like it? This partly forms my question - is it a sexually attractive feature or not??

Ask anybody of my generation here in England about German girls and they'll tell you that they have hairy armpits, followed by a rude remark about how terrible that is!

Is it then a myth that German girls had hairy armpits? I thought it was true because I had seen films and pictures etc. etc.

If they did have them in the 70s and 80s, but not now, then what has changed their habit in this regard and why were they at least 30 years behind women in England?

I think this is a fair and reasonable question to ponder over!

I am intelligent enough to know that armpit hair is, arguably, only one indicator of a different custom or culture (some shave, some do not) but it seems to be such a taboo subject that nobody ever debates it. Someone on this forum must surely understand what I am trying to find out????

In England, in my lifetime (35years) there has only ever been one clear view - armpit hair is bad and nasty on women! This surely is not a view that was held by German people during the same period otherwise they would have been shaving all that time too?

 

strange english womans ...

If you see them, what do you think about them (apart from 'hey, how sexy') ?

I think sexual attractivity has do to with much other thinks than what you are talking about ...

there was a german pop-star called 'nena', during her visit of england she started shaving, after that more and more germans find that cool or slt ...

you wanna know if you are not the only one with this fetish?

 

I´ve been following this discussion for a longer time now. And I am still wondering what it is really about?

The view of the ladies about armpit hair? Or meaning it may have had for them shaving or not? Girls who lived in the 70s, 80s, 90s or now? If so, I can´t help you.

The opinion of men about it? Well, same as before. If you are interested in the opinion of the men of the generation of 70s etc., I can´t help you. If you are interested in the opinion in general - okay - to be true I haven´t thought about that very much. And it is not that easy for me to get a clear opinion about it. I guess I´m mure used to shaved armpits - thinking about advertising pictures, movies etc. But unshaved armpits are definitely okay for me as well. I don´t think that it is an absolute mistake of any woman not to shave her armpits or a NO-NO as you have written. So far about that?

I guess your main interest is not how good or bad education in Germany, GB or the US works, even if there have been some words about as well.

Is it about fashion or cultural views in general? Well, I guess I can´t help in this case as well. It would be almost pure speculation. Maybe Pit is right - this would be a topic for a doctorate. But at least one sentence: I guess there will always be some different views, even if mainstream will get stronger and stronger and it will spread all over the world as a kind of 'globalized mainstream' or whatever.

Well, another try: If you want to know what we think about you have this opinion, I guess you had enough chances to see that some of us here were a bit irritated (me too in a way), but as far as I can see you have been taken serious and have been tolerated with it, as you got some answers.

 

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Some good answers, particularly YinYangFish & Grof - and some comedy from Pit!

I do not intend to irritate anyone. I also haven't quite explained my position on this clearly. I'll think of another way.....

 

I have to correct you: some VERY GOOD comedy from Pit... I´m still laughing.. :lol:

I guess it´s quite clear - at least to me - that it wasn´t your intention to cause any irritation.

But however, I´m not sure if I am really curious about another try to explain your position. Or - let me say it this way: You have already started a few ones - as it seems with the effect you had hoped for. Do you really think you will succed if you try another time? Maybe your interest is really that specific that we won´t be able to follow you.
But on the other hand: Maybe there will be another reason for some new comedy from Pit... :reddevil:

 

Same here

 

I do feel the need to say something in my defence here! Certainly now that some humour has been injected into proceedings!


In this country, a girl with hairy armpits on display would be noticed - people would talk and stare and be disgusted. When I see it (rarely) I like it because it demonstrates to me that the girl has strong character and is prepared to do what she wants - regardless of the poor response she'll get from others around her. A strong minded girl is a nice quality to see. I have always thought that armpit hair is just natural and I never understood why English society makes such a big deal of it! Believe me - THEY DO!

From the responses I have had here, clearly German people don't have any negative view - or positive view. I FULLY SUPPORT THIS STANCE. I just happen to like the look of hairy armpits on a woman but that is not the only feature I look for. My girlfriend holds the English view of hairy armpits and shaves hers all the time. I cannot change her mind on this - she is so worried that someone might see her unshaved that she gets quite angry about it if I even ask her not to shave for a week!

Grof's comment that Nena seemed to start the trend for girls in Germany shaving is interesting. This indicates that until Nena came to England, our practices were different to yours in Germany. I guess because of lack of technology 10,20,25 years ago (no internet, few TV channels, little exchange of films/media from country to country, not many holidays etc) - perhaps ideas and customs did not spread as easily as they do now?

In England people become conditioned to follow the herd - they are like sheep. Somehow a message got through to us in England decades ago that girls must shave their armpits - and they do, religiously. Not content with this, they then mock others who do not! The biggest group of people who were mocked were GERMAN girls! It shows how shallow the English are!! Nena should have said bollocks to the English and not shaved! Such a big fuss was made of it in the media here however that I guess for the sake of selling records she may have conceded??

Education - clearly this forms no part of whether one shaves or not. I was suggesting that the ignorant English (my own people) are not generally as well educated as Germans, for instance, because I believe that many of you speak at least 2 languages and we do not. In view of this you will be able to speak to a wider range of people and understand different cultures better than we do. I'M ON YOUR SIDE WITH THIS!

Perhaps a few German girls in their 20s or 30s could comment on when or whether they started shaving their armpits and for what reason?

Thank you for your continued discussion. I will draw this to a conclusion soon - and I'll probably issue a full summary note to tell you what I've learned about this.

Thanks again guys, I have enjoyed this discussion - please do not be offended by anything I say.

 

come on guys. i guess everyone of you has a strange childhood experience that still haunts you every now and then. so ok, hairy armpits seem to be a special one from english people. i didnt hear that for the first time and all i can say about it: it didn't came up in german women's minds to shave their armpits. you could interpret this as being a bit late in fashion. but on the other hand - they were busy with other stuff, getting educated for example it didn't occur to them. i don't think it was for erotic reasons. it wasnt fashion yet. maybe you could compare it to men shaving their armpits. lots of them do now but why didn't they 10 years ago?

 

@The Gremlin: Thanks for your last statement. To be true, NOW things are getting a bit clearer for me.

@sophie: Nice to see you here again. - and: You are talking about men shaving their armpits. I know my brother does, too. And I was a bit irritated at first - thinking that only women do... Would be an interesting topic as well - habits whereever I look...

 

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:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Hi again - and finally! Unless anyone adds to this, which I doubt.



Thanks for all responses, they have all helped.



Sophie's response seems to suggest that German girls did not think of shaving at that time and 'one could interpret this as being a bit late in fashion'. She also does not believe there was any erotic angle involved. Other responses to my question seem to indicate that German men had no interest one way or the other in girls with hairy armpits. They neither liked or disliked it. I guess this all adds up to say that nobody was bothered and therefore girls would often be seen with hairy armpits - most likely noticed by the English and not the Germans! There was clearly no hang-up about it in Germany.

It surprises me that if it is simply a 'fashion' thing, that there were so many years (decades) between the fashions in Germany and England. I guess that was a sign of the times. In today's world, I guess, fashion spreads much quicker across countries than it used to. Who controls fashion - I do not know. I suspect it is controlled commercially.

Unlike most 'fashions', which tend to come and go (revolve full circle) I cannot see a trend for hairy armpits on girls returning! This, in my opinion, is a shame. Much like stunning architecture - it seems to be a thing of the past. There will always be rare exceptions though!

Does it matter? - Well, no, not in the grand scheme of things. Its a little interest I will treasure - and has been fun discussing on this forum. I think I have finally put this curiousity to bed!

Pit (Peter) = you were a good laugh! Thanks for your genius remarks, they made me laugh!

Thanks everyone else. I'll certainly check out the forum from time to time and see if there are any questions I can provide a view on. As I don't speak German I may have some difficulty though! If I think of anything else I want to know about Germany, I'll start another thread....!!

Sometimes I wish I had moved to Germany many years ago - but if I had, then I'd probably not have enjoyed this discussion! As Pit suggested - I am in need of an 'attractive hairy German girl' - or at least I was, 20 odd years ago!! I'm sure they're out there - but getting rarer!

Kind regards,

The Gremlin