Edina is a young woman from Copenhagen who has chosen not to shave her beard. She’s made a name for herself by chronicling her journey on social media. She has also aided others in becoming more secure and being true to themselves rather than attempting to satisfy everyone.
It wasn’t something that happened overnight.
Edina didn’t make the decision to avoid shaving her face out of the blue, nor was it a hasty one. It was a long and winding road:
“I wouldn’t say it happened overnight, but I grew increasingly irritated with having to shave my legs for no apparent reason. Why do I have to shave my hair when I see men do so?
I found that I could be much more productive with my time. I’m not opposed to shaving or hair removal, but the requirement that every woman should do it all of the time irritates me.”
Others can also relate to how Eldina feels.
In the world we live in, men and women have different expectations, and not only Eldina but other women who have talked to her agree: “A lot of women have written me and told me that they, too, feel compelled to remove all of their body hair, even though they don’t want to.” However, they are under social pressure to do so, or they have been bullied for getting hair on their bodies.”
In the world we live in, men and women have different expectations, and not only Eldina but other women who have talked to her agree: “A lot of women have written me and told me that they, too, feel compelled to remove all of their body hair, even though they don’t want to.” However, they are under social pressure to do so, or they have been bullied for getting hair on their bodies.”
In terms of distinction, I’ve gotten a lot of publicity for — well, essentially not doing anything. It’s strange when you think about it because a man wouldn’t go viral for having prominent brows, so why would I?”
Who you are is more important than what people think of you.
Being true to yourself is key because there will always be people who love you for who you are: “I guess my advice will be that if people don’t like you, you can always find new mates. Other people will still consider and respect your opinions and feelings. Do you want to be known for something you aren’t?”
Beauty standards are always changing.
It’s cool if you don’t want to follow today’s beauty expectations. “I believe that beauty ideals are extremely arbitrary,” Eldina says. They’re in constant flux. In ten years, anything that is incredibly significant today will be totally meaningless. So I’m not sure why people, especially women, are expected to meet these expectations.”
Don’t be afraid to do what you want.
Finally, Eldina said something inspiring that would make us think about how they live their lives: “I believe that reflecting on why you’re doing what you’re doing is always a good idea. Is it something you like or something you’re doing out of fear?”
What are your thoughts on Eldina’s tale? Do you, like Eldina, feel overwhelmed by society’s beauty standards? And share your own words of wisdom with us.
Preview photo credit eldina_jaganjac / Instagram, eldina_jaganjac / Instagram
