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Wax on, wax off

PATRICK WHITE

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 1:13 PM EDT 21/06/07

Patrick White sacrifices his pride in the name of 'manscaping' ...Read the full article

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  1. Mario Toledo from Vancouver, Canada writes: 'Never say never', goes the old saying but this is a situation where I can confidently say 'body hair removal for me? NEVER.' No one can accuse me of being a 'male feminist' or feminist sympathizer but I'll borrow a page from the feminist agenda [you know, those women who wouldn't even consider shaving their armpits, legs and other parts of their anatomy] and refuse to go along with this trend in much the same way as I refuse to be an accomplice to my own degradation.
  2. varun xm from toronto the aghast, Canada writes: Rivulets of blood... burning hair... screams of pain... THIS IS HORRIBLE! I am gnumb... yet laughing my head off. Could this be hysteria?
  3. edward prior from Canada writes: ahhh patrick....just embrace your hairiness and wait out this silly trend. what you fail to mention in the article (and your stylist buddy conveniently forgot to mention cause it would hurt his business) is that the gays are now swinging back the other way, and body hair is enjoying quite a resurgence. the trend 'rooted' a few years ago in new york, san francisco and fort lauderdale and has now spread to cover most gay urban areas. sure, lots of men are still trimming, but it's getting harder to find a well built, furry guy who totally waxes or shaves. there's even a name for this new breed: musclebear. just give the breeder boys another 5 years to catch up :)
  4. Dawn Lotus from Toronto, Canada writes: Edward! Duly noted, however the options of the breeder boyz remain limited by the whims of us women, and this one isn't going anywhere soon! (Although, if I may generalize, I do wholeheartedly endorse the BBs continuing to embrace other trends from the gay community, namely showering regularly, cleaning one's nails, and wearing socks that match.)
  5. BARBARA POUPART from Toronto, Canada writes: There is nothing worse looking than a man who is all shiny. He looks like a young boy. Men who have hair are very masculine looking.
  6. France G from Ottawa, Canada writes: OMG, I am laughing so hard....that article was well-written and quite funny......Grooming doesn't mean hairless....it just means 'maintenance'...maintain your goods and all is well....HAHAHAHA
  7. edward prior from Canada writes: hiya dawn -- the way i see it, if the breeder boys are being subjected to (dare i say emasculated?) by the whims of their women....well, you just KNOW what my response is to that..... :) but a question for you women: is this kinda like payback time for all the years that you've had to put up with all the grooming demands that have been expected of you to attract the opposite sex?
  8. ALASTAIR JAMES BERRY from Nanaimo BC CANADA, Canada writes:

    .....I have been noticing this trend for some years. Initially it seemed to be a 'gay' thing. Perhaps in response to the typical hairy ape homophobic 'Macho Man' image. Surely stripping ones self of the main secondary male sex charactistic is rather a 'kinky' notion and if anything 'gays' tends to be kinky to the extreme...at least in my experience.

    .....Recently there has been evidence of 'straights' invading gay bars and such, and recently I believe a girl, in Montreal, was non plussed to find no 'ladies room' in what was reported to be a small gay bar.

    .....Another curious happening along this line is the opening of Centre Town 'day spa facilities' where business men can be pampered and worked over by male cosmeticians and masseurs for hours and hours.

    .....A few short years ago I would have declared all this to be quite unbelieveable!!
  9. Andrew G from Vancouver, Canada writes: Oh man, that was hilarious! Not exactly a ringing endorsement for any of the techniques that were experienced, but it made for a good article anyway (I like how the products were included at the end). I've been there too, and would rather be hairy than deal with the uncomfortable side effects of wax or Nair. I'm interested to see what Patrick will do for his next piece..
  10. Wanderingwilly Longtail from Canada writes: I have been keeping the plate clean for many years now as does my wife.....we both enjoy the smoothness and do not miss the impromptu teeth flossing. Its really not hard to maintain and the skin gets used to the grooming fairly fast.
  11. Almost Human from Victoria, Canada writes: This nonsense is just silly self-abuse brought to you by a decaying culture. I will remain hirsute, well-groomed, clean, fit, and appreciated by my lady.
  12. H K from Winnipeg, Canada writes: Payback for what women have been expected to endure? Absolutely. Hair removal is a useless exercise. Women in general feel pressured to do it, (after watching too much modern porn?) but I've rarely had any of my male partners complain. Maybe I'm dating the wrong men. Besides, if any man expected me to go beyond merely trimming the hair around my naughty bits he'd have to a) pay for the procedure, since it aint cheap, and b) have it done to himself. And, I take my men in whatever package mother nature intended - semi-bald, or furry.
  13. Had to go ANON for this one ....happily clipped from beast in denial, Canada writes: Ok... a fun article. Its all about personal choice and let people live the way they like. I am a man, all man... and I hate hair on my body so I clip, trim, shave in different spots. I do not go 'smooth' as I like a bit of hair. However, shave your pits and stink less...

    Also, funny no mention of legs for men...walk into a bike shop. Those men that shave their legs like it and keep it off, especially athletes. However, since I started shaving my ????, I have lost the 'b*lls' to shave my legs! It just makes me wanna cry.

    PS the wife LOVES me smooth and clean.
  14. Two Cents from Toronto, Canada writes: Mr. Patrick White, that was indeed a nice and funny article, although, I feel bad for the pain you endured. I take it you won't wax again?
  15. Manu coli from Montreal, Canada writes: I know exactly how Patrick felt. I experienced it twice, and the last time I did it myself ! But there is a thing which is certain, it's the fantastic feeling of the cool wind on the burned chest !
  16. P P from Canada writes: i'm a hairy guy and my wife loves it. I think she would kill me if I removed all my hair.
  17. Big D from Canada writes: I like to keep my chest hair, their is something very masculine about it... but the back hair gets waxed.. its just gross and irritating and way too much and I am getting the laser treatment this summer now that I am in a city where it is a little more accessible.

    Down south is also a must, it needs to be constantly trimmed... not only to make it appear larger but also there is nothing to inhibit oral performances and random pick ups are much keener to go down as well.

    I think all the previous bashing is just insecurity
  18. Cameron Foreman from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada writes: I am a naturally smooth chested guy who also wears a shirt and tie all the workday so by days end I am happy to remove my tie and open my shirt top for those days end get togethers over a cool drink. Now I've got to tell you that as I look around at friends, colleagues and yes, even strangers passing I can't help but admire those with either a small show of hair at the open neck or the complete hairy chest of those shirtless gods around me. Now, being a gay man I can say with some certainty that I am an expert (tongue in cheek) at what looks lousy, what looks good and what looks 'oh so fine'! Patrick White looked 'oh so fine' before he ever met the proft minded but badly misled Ashley Cox. Patrick, it's time, obviously, that you left TO with it's weird ideas of what makes a man look good and head here to Edmonton. Oh, and look me up!

    Cameron Foreman
    Edmonton
  19. Old Folksinger from Canada writes: I always thought that this was a gay thing. I guess I now know better.

    Mine is all going grey anyway and it won't be long before it all starts to fall out anyway. At least it spares me the pain!
  20. Old Folksinger from Canada writes: And just what is the evolutionary purpose of pubic hair anyway??
  21. J Lee from North Vancouver, Canada writes: I say keep it simple. Soap and water and a shave in the shower every day plus a dab of cologne on odd numbered days. But till you get rid of the gut the rest don't matter.
  22. grover station from Hamilton, Canada writes: I waxed my chest 8 years ago. It was the most painful experience of my life. I had ingrown hairs and pimples for a month afterwards. Now I just trim with clippers. I tell my girlfriends hairy women are fine by me.
  23. David Mordecai from Canada writes: Smooth is for babies. Natural is the way to go!
  24. Pamphleteer . from Canada writes: Oh..Kelly Clarkson!!!!!
  25. Alex Keuper from Carpinteria Santa Barbara CA, United States writes: ... maybe this is the way to lose those 20 pounds I gained ....
  26. Karen Chan from Hogtown, writes: The article was hilarious. As a female I feel freaked out from time to time when I see men (usually of the same age as me) more groomed and put together than I am. They've got gel slicked hair, overpowering cologne, designer duds. They use moisturiser every day and now they seem to shave. Oh for christ sake can we put an end to the madness?
  27. Route 90 from Winnipeg, Canada writes: I'm a hairy (and fit) guy who has trimmed and 'manscaped' for years.. just to keep it under control. Notwithstanding laser treatments to remove all back hair, the goal everywhere else has been maintenance. I mean, you go to a hairstylist regularly, why not keep the rest of your body 'organized'? Maybe I've been lucky, but all my girlfriends loved the chest hair and, now that I'm married, my wife has explictly forbidden waxing or lasering the front of my body.
  28. Steve Timson from NY NY, United States writes: Clean is the way to go. I don't like to be reminded my ancestors were tree swingers.

    I know a place in NY which will laser everything (yes, everything including THAT, under THERE and between THEM). It takes about 3 hours all the while the tech (pretty Hispanic with big-uns) zaps and zaps and zaps away.

    To my fellow guys, it's easy for you to say you'd never shave your back, or your butt or your nads, but if you could, we both know you'd opt for a no-hair physique rather than parading like some peacock looking like a wookie from star wars declaring you'd never shave 'down there.'

    I'm just honest about it. Also, my girlfriend is grateful that she doesn't have to wipe up any of my loose body hair after sex.

    So, c'mon admit it, you would rather be clean than look like one of those hairy-backed late-night-news terrorists.
  29. mike h from Sunland, Canada writes: I can't help but giggle at the article and laugh while reading the posts...Haha! All these pampered men need(or already have) are nail-polish, some square shoes, a hand-bag, oops I mean MAN bag, and wax your skull while your at it. Do it for Ca ncer!like Lefty-lufty, where is he these days? Oh at the spa, which reminds me of a time i went to a chic-salon and inquired about a haircut, and I laughed at the poor girl(and pointed) that it would cost me 75.00$ for a haircut, I proceeded to laugh histerically and asked if they would at least shampoo, but that was extra. I told her good luck,laughed some more and turned away from all the fruitflys behind empty barber chairs and got a haircut for 15 bucks, with a 5 $tip at my regular hairdresser(AND she gives scalp-massages-free of charge). Poor Patrick, he just wants to look like a houseboy. stay witht he hair, much better. I bet he's scratching like he's got fleas right now, youll never do that again will you?
  30. mike h from Sunland, Canada writes: Oh! I just found an artcle about women calling the shots in the bedroom! Hahahahaha! It begins! confimation is great!
  31. david blaine from Canada writes: I remember the first time I was waxed. I had the same fears of 'how much is this going to hurt?'. The first time was the worst time. Eventually it becomes no worse than pulling a band-aide off. I have been waxing my facial hair for almost 6 years. I tried it out of desperation - my skin is too sensitive to shave. After years of seeing a dermatologist over the side-effects of shaving (electric and razor) I was left with the option of 'let it grow in', which itched so much I would end up scratching my own skin off. Then somebody suggested waxing, and my skin is much better for it.
  32. True Grit from Calgary, Canada writes: Shaving is the only way to make sure ones "balls" do not get too sweaty during the day.
  33. Wry Critic from Toronto, Canada writes: I find the posts terribly revealing of individual social biases, esp. the one that has "men" being "less attentive to personal; grooming", hence the predisposition to favour the "natural look".

    But remember. Perspiration and body odor are "natural", yet we take precautions to ensure against such odors. "Nudity" is "natural", yet we clothe ourselves. The "it's natural" argument doesn't hold very much water.

    Aesthetics - that is what this issue comes down to. And aesthetic standards as applied to the females and male sexes change with time and tide. Right now, less hair is favoured. My wife recently shared with me that i's "fur" that prevents her from enjoying oral sex as much as she might. Guess who's happy to shave now?
  34. Lemmy Nothor from BCN, Spain writes: What's the ugliest
    Part of your body?
    What's the ugliest
    Part of your body?
    Some say your nose
    Some say your toes
    (I think it's your mind)
    But I think it's YOUR MIND
    (Your mind)
    I think it's your mind, woo woo

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