It’s official: Exeter prefers dad bods to bronzed gods
Body positivity has really taken off in the past few years, seeing people of all genders take to social media to embrace all the ways their bodies don’t fit into the idealised image of the “perfect” body.
And now, the latest research by cruelty-free hair removal brand Nad’s suggests that, for people in Exeter, the idea of a “perfect” body is very much in the eye of the beholder anyway!
The survey revealed that just 3% of Exeter residents believe men should aspire to the “Love Island” body image. When broken down between genders, the UK results were even more startling, with more men than women believing they should aspire to the chiselled, tanned and toned look so prevalent amongst the islanders, (7% compared to 4%.)
Sadly, despite the growing #Januhairy movement which has taken the social media world by storm, it seems that people aren’t so laid back when it comes to body hair.
In fact, more than one in ten Exeter respondents (16%) admitted to being “embarrassed” by their hair, suggesting that we still have a long way to go to truly embrace body acceptance. UK Women were worse affected than men, as would be expected, with a quarter admitting their body hair causes them shame, compared to just 10% of their male counterparts.
Even the more socially conscious generation Z displayed a notable bias about body hair, with two in three 18-24- year olds admitting that they think men should be more relaxed about their fuzz than women.
Sue Ismiel, founder, Nad’s, comments: “Our research suggests attitudes to body image are changing - and it’s about time! However, it’s an incredibly slow process, which is slowly coming to light thanks to some inspiring activists.
“No one should feel under pressure to look a certain way. Here at Nad’s we support the right for each and every person to do whatever they like with their body hair- whether it’s going fully natural or removing it all. It’s your hair, your rules!”
For more information, please visit www.nads.com
Gallery
