Call for participants for a study on " Social constructs surrounding female body hair and its impact on Self-perception of hirsute females"

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#1

Hello everyone,

I am Aadhisha Shirish, a MSc Health Psychology student form Coventry University, United Kingdom and I am conducting my dissertation on the impact of social constructs surrounding female body hair on the self perception of hirsute females. As an individual, living with Hirsutism I understand the impact and issues a hirsute female goes through during the entire experience of living with hirsutism , right from the first appearance of the symptoms until working through ways of hair removal and hair growth management strategies. Hence I intend to study further and in depth the experiences of hirsute females around to add to the existing literature pool a representation of these unspoken voices combined.

In order to achieve this, I am conducting a qualitative study focusing on the living experiences of hirsute females for which I need participants. The interview shall take place as per the participant’s convenience via zoom and shall last for about 30-45 minutes. In order to know more about the study, Please feel free to contact me on my email id shirisha@coventry.ac.uk. If interested, Please fill the demographic form given below:

Thank you in advance.

Regards,

Aadhisha Shirish

#2

This is a brilliant topic and I’m sure that all of us in the hair removal profession will be very interested to read your research and findings.

I would also like to consider a discussion of “social construct” vs. animal biology. Female hirsutism is often, biologically, an indicator of a hormone imbalance and most likely a deep-seated understanding that the woman is not of good breeding stock. Thus, men are instinctively not attracted to women with mustaches … just as women are not attracted to short, fat, bald men.

This, of course, translates to male characteristics that usually indicate poor quality sperm, less vigor and a poorer ability to support the off-spring and female. I think that a biological understanding … something very natural and not an artificial “social construct” … should be a consideration. Sexual attraction (the urge to produce healthy strong off-spring) is fundamental to every species, and probably has a lot to do with our feelings toward others and ourselves … and, our “social constructs.” Best Wishes.

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#3

Thank you :blush:

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#4

Believe it or not, there is also a strong negative male component of being hairy … and being bald as well. And, I was one of those. Most of my 45-year-long career was dealing with hairy men. However, within the male culture, we don’t talk about personal problems … don’t voice our weaknesses and don’t talk to each other (or women) about our feelings. Imagine that?

When I was a young man (19) and went to several electrologists for my hairy back … they ALL said, “men are supposed to be hairy!” (Implying that something was psychologically wrong with me.) And, a couple times I was asked if I was a “transvestite?” (I had to look-up the term.)

Indeed, like most personal issues, men are disregarded, unimportant and irrelevant. My own profession has been historically slow in dealing with men’s hair issues … unless they are transitioning. Then, the associations lecture us on trans issues at every conference for the last 50 years. You’d think there were only two issues in electrology: PCOS and transgender issues. And, that’s about it!

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#5

I just checked the AEA convention list of speakers. Two speakers on PCOS (and the feelings therein), other topics on positioning and how to insert a needle … and the list of preferred pronouns. My friends from Japan, attending AEA conventions, said that “PCOS must be an epidemic in America, because it’s rare in Japan.” I wonder how any living (non-brain-dead) human being can continue to spend money (at least $1,000) to hear this re-run year-after-year? As if there were no other salient issues in my goofy profession?

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#6

Greetings,

Yes I agree. As a part of my investigation in the existing pool of literature, I also became aware of how these issues needs to be addressed and investigated further so that the stigma and irrational societal constructs are tackled. Thank you for your advice, will definitely take that into account.

Regrds,
Aadhisha Shirish

#7

A scientific study should be descriptive rather that prescriptive. It seems to me that your use of the terms“stigma” and “irrational societal constructs” are already prejudicing your inquiry. The first rule of scientific inquiry is an objective evaluation of your own “constructs.” It’s not easy … but in the long run, a truly objective study will last much longer than the politics of the day.