Manscaping

Originally published on The Sex Appeal website

man·scap·ing (măn´skāpĭng) n.

A term used to define male grooming below the belt. A male can use either an electric razor or a regular razor. A Mach 3 is preferable with the ladies on the testicular area. No female likes to deal with hairy balls, so men must education themselves on proper manscaping and maintenance techniques.  (Urban Dictionary)

A few years ago, when I first considered getting a Brazilian wax, I felt a vague sense of feminist outrage: I have to deal with pubic hair when I’m performing oral sex, so why shouldn’t he? Why should I spend money and endure pain to get rid of hair that distinguishes me from girls who watch Hannah Montana? My bush made me feel womanly; I thought it made my lady parts look more dignified.

But now, the double standard no longer exists—apparently, enough guys overheard their girlfriends waxing poetic (pun intended) about the increased sensitivity during sex that accompanies hairless genitals. A few brave men got a little experimental in the shower with their razors and viola! Shaved balls are suddenly in vogue.

Or are they? I recently queried some of my close male friends (close enough for me to ask them about their pubic grooming habits) about their preferences and opinions re: manscaping. First, I wanted to know about methodology – unsurprisingly, men are finicky about what kind of razor they allow in proximity to the family jewels. The Philips Norelco Bodygroom, which is cordless and waterproof, was popular among the men I surveyed. Some preemptive trimming of the nether regions is common before the actual shaving commences. As one friend described, “There’s a lot of stretching and pulling and awkward positions that no one should ever see to get it all done right! And you have to be very careful—one nick, and it’s game over.” Ow.

Waxing is also an option for guys too afraid to shave their own junk, though only one person I interviewed confessed to having tried it (and only once, so he claimed). A waxing specialist from Milano Salon in Allston confirmed that almost a third of her clients nowadays are men who want more than just unsightly back hair removed. I’m not gonna lie, it gave me a small amount of pleasure to hear that in her experience, men yelp and squirm more than the ladies. From plucking eyebrows to wearing stilettos, women have a higher pain threshold when it comes to suffering for beauty.

My manscaped friends generally like how things feel with less hair down there and do think it increases the frequency and duration of oral sex in their relationships. But how about when they’re single?  Do they still bother with the upkeep?  One guy responded wryly, “If you manscape and no one sees it, did it really happen?”

As far as I’m concerned, you should never alter your pubes just to please a partner. That goes for women, too. Personally, I don’t mind a little hair as long as the person has recently bathed and conforms to basic hygiene rules. Hair can be a good thing; it reminds me that I’m getting intimate with a flesh-and-blood man, not a shiny-crotched Ken doll.