Crunchy by convenience

Today when I was sitting on the floor playing with A and got a glimpse of my hairy legs, I got to thinking of all the ways I am "crunchy" and how funny it is that my crunchiness is not exactly driven by strong convictions.

I haven't shaved my legs, underarms or any part of my body since 2001 when I learned that my husband (then boyfriend) liked naturally hairy women. We went for a bike ride on, I think, our second "date" and stopped for a break. Sitting on the bench with him, the sun hit my thighs and some hairs glistened. "I guess I need to shave," I said nervously, the dutiful girl hoping the guy is not grossed out by my body hair. He shrugged it off and it wasn't til later that I learned of his love for women in their natural state. Now for me, the aesthetic preference is probably for smoothness. Whether this is my pure preference or its been irreversibly colored by the society in which I was raised, I don't know. But, it's easier not to shave and if that's what my husband prefers anyway, why not? I kind of like the fact that I am "breaking the rules" of what a woman is supposed to do, even if I prefer the smooth aesthetic, so it's all good. He often tells me my hairy legs are sexy. He acts like he would be sad if I shaved.

Other ways I am crunchy include the fact that I had a home birth, use cloth diapers and am breastfeeding a 21-month-old toddler. Again, none for the reasons one might expect.