Dear Straight Talk: My son is 17 and as his father, I never thought I’d be writing your group of teens but I need some input. My son is normal in every way that I can tell: he gets good grades, he has a part-time job, he plays sports (basketball), he has a girlfriend—which I presume is an indicator that he’s straight. The problem is he’s started shaving his legs. What’s going on with all this shaving? My nephew, who’s 19, shaved his chest recently! –Losing my hair the natural way
Dear Losing it naturally: Your son is part of a peer group that is very important to him. Keep the perspective that shaving body hair is not a permanent alteration, does not alter brain chemistry, has no known side effects, and is not addictive. Feel good about the fact that your son is successful in all the ways you mentioned. In other words, you’ve got a good thing going, so, find your humor and don’t even mess with it. Read on for more perspective on the topic.
From Geoff, 19: Guys shaving parts of their bodies isn’t anything new; the Greeks and Romans were doing it long before us. Perhaps you’ve heard this term: “metrosexual: an urban male with a strong aesthetic sense who spends a great deal of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle.” You think girls are influenced by mass media? What about us guys? Have you ever seen a hairy guy in one of the expensive fashion magazines? How about an ordinary magazine? How about on a commercial? Not lately, right? Well, there you go. Just as girls have been influenced by popular culture for years, advertising has now discovered that guys are just as influential. According to the mass media, shaving/waxing is the new rage. I wouldn’t worry about your son, he sounds completely in tune with his generation.
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