Life

Do Hairy Legs Make You Rape-Proof?

by Jaleesa Jones

Shaving my legs is the bane of my existence. Sure, I could star in a Venus commercial when I’m finished, but barely 48 hours can go by before the evil stubble is back with a vengeance. If there were ever a real-life paradigm for defeat, that is mine.

Fortunately, there may be something to going au natural. In fact, you may evade assault.

That's the logic that motivated China’s introduction of the hairy-leg stocking. The faux-hairy legs have been marketed as a means of protecting the female population from unsolicited male attention.

<img alt="" src="http://static3.refinery29.com/bin/entry/33e/x/1052563/hairy-leg-bod.jpg" class="article-body-image"/>

According to Refinery29, a Sina Welbo user described them as, "super sexy, summertime anti-pervert full-leg-of-hair stockings". To which I respond, "Um, K".

I'll pass on the debate of whether or not these Wookie stockings are sexy. That's a subjective and secondary point. The principal issue is the false presumption underlying the sales of these stockings: assault has to do with attraction. Although a seventh-grade ass-grab or juvenile catcall may be oversimplified as such, rape has little to nothing with physical attractiveness. It's about how the exertion of power over an intimidated victim.

I can appreciate China mobilizing to allay their rape problem, but these stockings are a grossly misguided attempt. A rapist will not be deterred by hairy legs any more than a thief will be deterred by dirty money. It's about vulnerability, not looks.

Image: J. Lightning on Flickr; Refinery29