Harnaam Kaur: Ask Me Anything
Harnaam is an anti-bullying and body positive activist and life coach. In her AMA she answers your questions on body hair and confidence.
When did you become comfortable with your body hair?
I can’t give you a specific date of when I actually became confident with my body hair. I was 16 when I grew out my beard and it’s been a journey of acceptance and I’m more confident in myself than I was before.
I feel like people will reject me or find me unattractive if I don’t remove the hair on my legs. What do you think about this?
I feel first of all, you need to be able to create a relationship with you and your body first. Stop thinking about how other people will judge you, or other people’s opinions, like find self-love for you first and just embrace who you are.
Harnaam Kaur
Name: Harnaam Kaur
Occupation: Harnaam is an anti-bullying activist, body positive activist and life coach
Do you ever have days where you are tempted to shave or remove your body hair?
One thing that this society needs to realise about women is that we do grow bodily hair. It’s hair, get over it.Harnaam Kaur
I will not go back on my decision on keeping my beard. I live by ‘my body my rules’ and I will adorn my body how I wish to. If I do decide to shave that’s my decision to, if I don’t want to that’s also my decision.
What has helped you the most on your PCOS journey?
What’s helped me on my PCOS journey...I’ve stopped calling it a condition, I’ve just realised that my body works in a very different way to another person’s body. The condition comes with a lot of side effects and I’m just trying to help myself mentally and physically as much as I can.
How do you deal with bullies and trolls?
The way that I deal with haters and bullies is I’ve realised that I’m about to live my life for me and make myself happy. I’m not about to be let down by people, be put down by people and I’m happy with the way that I am and people need to change, not me.
What’s the best way to approach relationships when you have excess body hair?
The way in which you approach a relationship if you’re growing bodily hair is don’t compromise yourself, you don’t need to. You should be enough for that person. If they like you they like you, if they don’t they don’t, move on.
What’s your favourite thing about your beard?
A few of the best things that I love about my beard is that she’s so shiny, she’s hella soft and I love that she has her own personality, she grows in different ways, she curls in different places and probably the length as well.
Do you have any role models?
I don’t actually have any role models. I try to take influence and inspiration from different people, different cultures and the lives of different people and their stories. So I don’t look up to one person apart from the girl that’s looking back at me in the mirror.
I’m extremely insecure about my hair downstairs when it comes to intimate situations and always shave to keep it bare. How can I be comfortable with it?
You’re trying to find comfort through other people’s opinions, let it grow if you want to. You should be happy with your body, don’t need to make other people happy, just be happy. Let it grow.
What is a message you’d like to give to society regarding women and body hair?
One thing that this society needs to realise about women is that we do grow bodily hair. It’s hair, get over it. And don’t be so naive that you don’t think that we sprout armpit hair, ‘cause we do.
