My mom and I get into an argument over not shaving legs at least once a month.

I truly need to vent somewhere, but I don’t know where. The title sounds crazy, I know. I don’t like to shave my legs. I don’t like the way it makes me feel. I don’t like the social standards around it. I doesn’t make me feel confident. It doesn’t make sense to me.

My mom tells me my legs look horrible. Almost every week she tells me it’s horrible. She tells me I need to shave it. She tells me I have to listen to her because it’s a “compromise” because she does so much for me. She does. I love my mom, she really does a lot for me and I really love her. I hate fighting.

I’m going to sound like such a crybaby but I can’t help but cry every time we have this fight. It doesn’t feel well being told I look horrible.

She tells me “they (my mom and dad) don’t ask a lot from me” and it’s true. I love my mom and dad. I’m sorry if my thoughts are so scattered. I just can’t handle it. I don’t know why I cry. I try not to. I hate crying. It really hurts. It feels like my face is burning and all my muscles are pulling at my eyes. When I try to fight the tears it only hurts more physically.

I don’t know what to do. I have this little voice in the back of my head telling me my mom only does things from me to “compromise” over things. I know that voice is lying, but I can’t get rid of it. I really don’t know what to do.

She keeps telling me I’m a “baby” that I “need to grow up” I know. I hate crying. I don’t know how to make it stop but I hate it I know I should be more calm in these conversations. All over shaved legs really feels ridiculous but I can’t get it to stop. I try, I really do. She gets mad at me if I cry.

I don’t want to shave my legs, but it feels like the only way to make the arguments stop. I know I will get comments telling me to do it because it’s not a big deal, but why is this a compromise I need to make? I think that’s what’s getting me the most. She tells me “it’s not a big deal” and that I’M making a big deal out of it, but if it’s a not a big deal why do I need to change?

This is so ridiculous. She calls me ridiculous. Any tips how to stop the uncontrollable sobbing? I really don’t know where it comes from. I try to stop it. Crying hurts. I just get so overwhelmed with this back and forth I can’t help it.

I don’t like shaving my legs because it doesn’t make me feel confident. I use to shave my legs as a kid (13, 14) but never liked it. I used to shave my arms as well. I found it weird to do one without the other. My mom doesn’t shave her legs.

She keeps telling me to have laser hair removal. She says they’ll pay for it and “they’re doing it for me.” I don’t want it. I keep telling her I don’t want it, and she calls me “ungrateful.” I just don’t know what to do.

For a second I thought this was a gender thing, but I feel comfortable as a woman, but I do not feel comfortable with what society expects. I just don’t understand. Why is this an argument? Why is this a compromise? She keeps telling me “we’ll discuss it later” but I don’t want to. Why are my legs a discussion. I know she cares and she wants to protect me, but why is the pressure put on me to change?

It’s just so weird to me. I don’t understand it, therefore I don’t want to it. This feels so ridiculous. I have burning tears running down my eyes over not shaving. I shave my armpits and upper lip because I don’t like that hair. I like my leg hair. When I shave it, for the next few days it feels prickly when I rub them against each other. The smoothness is unnatural. I like the way I am. Why do I need to compromise. I’m going to end this know.

Sorry I’m so scatter brained. I feel so silly, but I just need somewhere to get this out. Anonymity is the best way to do it. I don’t want to go to my friends and say “my mom and I fought over not shaving” like come on. They have bugger problems. I’m going to stop typing. Bye.