are JWs allowed to shave in the under regions? (page 2)

jeanniebeanz

I'll never te-ell

(of the mysterious class)

I remember this coming up, actually when I was a JW. I'm trying to remember the reasoning. From what I can remember it all depends on your age. If you're a senior citizen, then its most likely a "grey area", get it, grey area??

And if you are a young one, then your privates will have to be reproved. Der, maybe thats backwards, oh yea, its private reproof, thats it. Hey it's been a long time.

But really, I rememer the deal being too that it made a big difference what shape you shaved it into. If you shaved little watchtowers, or the letters NWT, then you were allright.

But if you shaved in the shape of a unicorn, smurf, or the initials JWD, then you were outa there, on account of apostacy and all.

stillajwexelder

Well my wife who is a good JW shaves her P*&^%Y

rebel8

LOL@ everyone!

I don't know about the nether regions, but I do know I was not ever allowed to shave anywhere as a JW. This was my mother's rule. She would not allow anything that would signify I was getting older (and therefore soon to be independent of her) or anything that in her warped mind would make me look more appealing. My cong was especially strict, but my mother was even stricter.

No underpants that weren't as big as a house--I had the kind that actually came almost to my chest. No shaving your armpits or legs (totally, totally gross and humiliating). No wearing makeup, including lip gloss. No using tampons (that would make me not a virgin, ya know). No deoderant. No acne medication. No wearing a bra (also gross--I was way overdue for a bra). I wore 3 shirts to cover up my bralessness and the armpit hair. I remember one district convention in particular where I wore flannel blouses and 2 undershirts, but it was still obvious I didn't have the proper foundation equipment. The top shirt had to be a dark color because white would show the hair. I wonder why on earth no one counseled my mother about it.

So I snuck deoderant, razors, tampons, and some makeup. Couldn't get a hold of medicine for my really, really bad case of acne, so I used rubbing alcohol. Of course I wasn't allowed to keep any of my own $ (even tho I earned it babysitting), so it was not possible for me to save enough for a bra. I finally talked her into it by getting my jw friend's mother to talk to mine. She made the shopping trip into a big humiliating scene and made fun of me for months for needing a bra. To my mother, puberty and anything smacking of me getting older was a personal insult to her, one that I did on purpose. Those stupid Youth books and talks from the platform that were so anti-children made it a lot worse.

It was terribly painful at the time. But of course I'm over it now.

(rebel8 of the "I don't want to be accused of not getting over my jw issues" class)

Ellie

OMG Rebel8, sounds like you had a really hard time of it!

I never had it anywhere near as bad as you but my mum never offered to buy me a bra all the way through my growing up and she made chats like telling her I had started my periods as awkward and humiliating as possible.

It still makes our relationship difficult now, I sort of act child like around her, wont let my partner even cuddle me infront of her, its very odd but don't know if its a witness thing or just a wierd mum - daughter thing.

talesin

rebel, that is warped behaviour, indicates some serious 'issues' there.. Your mom really denied you the joy of your young womanhood, and it must have been horribly embarrassing, not being able to wear a bra at that age, and the shaving thing. We all know how cruel teens can be when you are 'different'. *shakes head sadly* I'm glad you were able to work thru it; many folks never do.

tal

blondie

Do you mean that sisters are "required" to shave their legs if the hair is dark. I heard a sister counseled to do that who had worn nylons over very hairy legs. What is it, women in the US are considered ungroomed unless they shave their underarms and legs; why stop there?

Blondie

mrsjones5

No deoderant.

Wow Rebel, I'm so glad you survived.

Sunnygal41

I find it extremely interesting that the "JW teachings" often coincided with extreme dysfunction and outright mental illness in some individuals. Rebel8, no disrespect, but, it sounds like your mom had serious issues with her very femininity and womanhood. My mother did not want me or my sister to use tampons because, according to her, she had used one and it had somehow disappeared into her insides...............this was difficult for me, a very active young woman, who not only ran track but horseback rode every day. Finally, I rebelled at age 16 and shaved my legs AND started using tampons. My heart goes out to all women who have been taught shame regarding their normal, human bodily functions.

Terri

gumby

Rebel......no offence to you.......but reading your post pissed me off to no end. I woulda told your mom to go jump in a godamn river or, tell her to go live with the unibomber and Howard Hughes. Jesus!

Now then.....I like to shave my nutsack, then put bag balm on it, then use a highspeed buffer and make it shine like bald mans head! It looks kinda cute.

Gumbagshine

are JWs allowed to shave in the under regions?