Social taboo around Hirsutism that occurs from PCOS

Hair is manly. No, I’m not the one saying this. It’s the Vikings, Samurais, Mayas. And the research paper from Brandeis University that was published in 2021.

When I grew hair on my face and body, thicker than usual, a medical professional told me I could be suffering from PCOS. She explained that one of the symptoms was that you’d grow hair “like a man”.

When I was diagnosed with PCOS, I learnt that it’s called Hirsutism. When I discovered more about PCOS and its risks, it was heartbreaking to learn what its seriousness had been reduced to

For a long time in my life, I felt so out of place with any hair on my body. Women around me had the cleanest, smoothest skins and I’d naturally grow hair pretty quickly, outside of PCOS too. I think my school teacher noticed it and privately recommended to me that I get waxed. So I did.

It hurt so much. And whenever I waxed new parts of my body, like my underarms, it hurt worse. I shared it with my mother and she said, waxing is important to stay “clean”. So I continued. My cousin sister, who also started waxing pretty close to when I did, would complain a lot and ice her body after. She’d always ask me “Doesn’t it hurt you?” because I had a pretty neutral expression to it. And I told her it did but “what can we do about it?” She was still fighting it, I think I had just accepted my fate.

When I grew up a little more, I began deconstructing this beauty norm, taking strength from those around me like my cousin who hadn’t stopped complaining. Waxing wasn’t supposed to clean me. In fact, it was ‘cleaner’ to have hair on me because they protected my skin. It protected me from the dirt and sun.

And little by little, all hypocrisy came to light - all my male friends who would joke about women with hair, calling them mard, to glorifying Anil Kapoor’s chest hair (which look disgusting, by the way. Great actor though!)

And in more recent times, Prachi Nigam, who topped Class 10 Board exams but was mocked for her facial hair all over the internet.

But again the question arises, why just women — why not men? I've done my research and I've come to just one real conclusion. I think it all began with the infantilization of women and has just stuck around. So this would begin with Ancient Egypt where hairless bodies were clean and then in the Victorian era when hairlessness was for the Elite class. And porn and fashion magazines in the 19th century didn't do us any favours either.

I never participated in “Januhairy”, a trend on the internet that all women came together to let their hair grow out in 2018. Because I won't say I have been able to go past it. but when the pandemic came around in 2019 and none of us could wax anymore like we used to, I realised it could be way less frequent than usual.

Now I stick to waxing when I feel like it's time. I also grow thick hair on my body and face which I try to remove when I feel like it. Which I understand, is also governed by this taboo, but I've learnt to remember that I always notice them more than others around me, because I've been taught to.

And I've learnt that, a long sleeve and relaxed jeans can always save the day.