Mo’Nique’s Hairy Legs at the Golden Globes
January 19, 2010 in Beauty & Body Image, Celebrity Quotes, General by Versus
The NY Times reports:
The sometime comedian took home the Golden Globe for best supporting actress for her dramatic role as an abusive mom in “Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push,’ by Sapphire,” and gave one of the most moving speeches of the night.
Mo’Nique may have been so wrapped up in preparing her remarks, in fact, that she forgot to take care of a little beauty matter before the awards – shaving her legs.
And if she was at all embarrassed by her shaggy state, she didn’t show it. On the contrary, whether inadvertently or not, she picked up the skirt of her long gown on the red carpet, exposing the issue.
A long dress covers a multitude of personal appearance sins – until you pull it up.
For true Mo’Nique fans, however, her hairy red carpet appearance will come as no surprise.
Mo’Nique has actually been on the forefront of a laissez-fair policy toward leg hair for many years. She showed off her unshaven gams on a 2006 appearance on “The View,” after prompting from Barbara Walters.
She told Walters, and by extension a national TV audience, “I must show America what a real leg looks like . . . because it’s too much in the morning, every morning, to shave, to cut, you got Band-aids baby,” she said after popping out from behind the hosts’ table to show off her unshaved calf.
“I really think hair on a woman’s legs is a black woman’s thing,” she later added, after pointing out that she does shave under her arms to avoid “stink.”
Mo’Nique has showed off her natural legs before at different events and in a TV show – but this time she revealed her anti-shaving look on the red carpet at the Golden Globes, while pulling up her dress. What do you think about her attitude regarding body hair?
ohlàlà
we shouldn’t really care that much about it.
Umm well if i’m not actually disgusted or anything, i def. don’t find anything pretty about it. I mean if you don’t wanna stress about it all the time, i’d at least shave when you’re gonna wear a dress. It’s a bit different if you have very little hair and it’s light. And i find it rather easy to shave my legs, rarely any cuts or bleeding here, but maybe she has it otherwise. However, i do find it inappropriate to do that on the red carpet, pulling your dress up like that, but that’s what comedians do right, things that are frowned upon
completely agree with you!
ewwww… gross!
“I really think hair on a woman’s legs is a black woman’s thing,”
WTF! Im black, my mothers black, grandma and aunts are black and WE SHAVE!!! She really shouldnt groups all of us as non shavers… its not true.
i agree. i shave my damn self and she shouldn’t say it’s a black woman thing because many black women i know shave down there. if she doesn’t want to shave it then that’s fine but don’t include black women as if we don’t shave our legs.
i totally agree with you! She is being such a stereotype which i don’t agree with.
GAAAHHH.
‘Nuff said.
one word: YUCK!!
She’s trying to throw all black women under the bus with her. Lol, all the black girls I know shave,wax, laser hair off, so I don’t know what she’s talking about.
There is nothing wrong with not shaving, I mean if she and her husband/bf like it that way then good for her.
Oh and umm thanks for the close up versus lol
You’re welcome
not so charming imo
gross…
Am I the only one who feels sick when looking at the pic?
i dont really see how race is even a variable here…I’m a jewish girl and I don’t shave my legs – and im not afraid to admit it either. I find it very frustrating that us women have to go through all these rituals on daily basis that men do not! I guess I am lucky enough to be in academia where I am not judged on the fact that I don’t shave or don’t wear make-up. Either way, it’s not fair and it’s fine if men find it disgusting, but other women should be more supportive of each other over these kind of personal decisions.
Most men shave their beards every day, it’s a component of their own “rituals” that we women don’t have to worry about.
until menopause that is…lol
yes, but women are not disgusted by bearded men and they are not judged like women with hairy legs!!! seems like a bunk comparison to me.
Oh I’m definetly disgusted by bearded men, and so are most of the girls/women I know. Some men have food stuck in there and it’s just ew.
LOL, not all beards are like that, some men look better with a beard, not a long one, just a bit of a beard, specially on guys that have a boy’s face, it looks more manly. I like it when my boyfriend doesn’t shave for a few days.
I like beards only when they’re a day or 2 old. Anything after that and my boyfriend knows he won’t be getting smoochies.
I’m with you girl!!! Down with the razors!
OH GOOD LORD
AGREED UNSHAVEN HAIR IS NASSSSTYYYY god if i ever let my leg get like that well I don’t I think I’d die from a heart palpitation. God Bless Her Husbands HEART. Most men would ROLL BOUNCE!!! And is has nothing to do with being Black. That’s like if I said wearing deodorant is a Latina thing SMH!!!!
She sat through a pedicure, but can’t take 3 minutes to drag a razor over her legs. Come on now. Men shave their face, women shave their legs and pits.
And at the very least shave from the knee down, because that is all that is exposed in her gown! Oh my goodness lol… I can’t believe she couldn’t take the time to shave for one evening… Yikes.
I don’t think it was a question of time though, at this particular occasion. She didn’t need to show her legs (long dress), she purposedly did that to make a point about not wanting to shave her legs all the time.
But still… She went to a big event and didn’t feel the need shave her legs…
Hey, am I the only one who shaves her legs every week??? o_O If I had to go to such event like her, I would not only want to shave my legs, but go to a salon, to have it waxed and pampered…
people are like OMG leg hair, yeah maybe for some people it’s a bit gross and she shouldn’t get it out it, but whatever, she don’t wanna shave her legs so she don’t. there are bigger things happening in the world right now then :O hairy legs!!
It irks me when people say things like “there are bigger/more important things happening in the world…”
There are always bigger things happening in the world, does that mean that we should cease to live our own lives? Other things happening in the world doesn’t prevent us from being interested in/discussing other topics.
If we all focused only on “the bigger things” happening, we’d all be insane. So you can run off an focus solely on those other things and leave us to discuss hairy legs for a few minutes while we take our mind off other things.
I LOVE THIS RESPONSE.
well said, plus girl your hear commenting on it too!
talkn bout you dont care!
Omg sister maybe she just doesnt want to shave her bloody legs! your not gonna die or anything if you dont! and people shood mind there own bees wax! geez guys. give the woman a break
haha! Funny! maybe she’s doing it to keep her warm during the Winter
yea, def not a fan of leg hair.. attractive.. not to me, but Monique gave such a moving speech at the Golden Globes, I saw a side of her that makes me not care about her weight, or hairy legs. She doesnt!! and she obviously has a husband that loves her for who she is. She seemed passionate and above alot of petty socialized rituals .. such as shaving.
hear, hear! =)
Where did the idea that hairless legs on a female is “beautiful” and a person is just plain nasty if they don’t shave? o.O I can understand shaving under arms, I do feel more “fresh” and clean that way, but shaved legs don’t really make me feel more beautiful or anything
Amen, women were running around for thousands of years without shaving their legs. No one cared.
Hear, hear! I shave, like, once every two weeks AT MOST (then again, my hair is pretty light). I say to each their own….I prefer the extra little five minutes I get of sleep than wasting then on dragging a razor through my legs.
Lol, she’s brilliant!
I don’t see why people consider it gross, you have hair on your scalp too and I don’t see you complaining about that!
Hmm not a massive fan of this look if I’m honest. I admit it is sometimes a bit too much effort to shave every single day, not that you always need to. However if I was going to an event like this, with my legs on show I would probably think it was worth the effort. But if she’s okay with it then I have no problem with it. In the winter I don’t make that much effort shaving my legs, but always cover them up if they’re not hair-free and smooth. Oh well!
I don’t shave my legs often either especially in winter but I ALWAYS do if I wear a skirt or shorts. Come on Monique theres nothing wrong with shaving
I think thats gross looks like a man leg
its fine not to shave if you don’t have that much hair, my mom NEVER shaves but you can’t even see the hair on her legs its so thin and very little, same with my mother in law.Women with little hair can get away with that but this woman has too much hair SHAVE PLEASE!
-don’t be lazy! (for some reason that part didn’t come out)
I don’t shave my legs in the winter, because it is WAY too much effort when I’m wearing tights, leggings or jeans all the time. But I have red hair, and as such, my leg hair is quite light anyway. I mean, kudos to her for hanging the idea that women should shave their legs, I do sometimes ask myself why we’re supposed to look more beautiful with hairless legs, but then again, I wouldn’t have hairy legs for an event like this, looks kind of weird. But still, it’s a nice feminist statement, I have to say…impressive!
I agree with your comment. And I am a redhead with light and thin hair on my legs too!
I don’t think this has anything to do with race. I rarely ever see women with hairy legs, no matter what race. I don’t find anything wrong with it though. It looks like normal legs look, actually. And who cares if men like it, we’re not supposed to smooth and tame ourselves to please anyone. I still think the hairy legs don’t go well with the elegant gown and shoes, but that’s more of a fashion issue.
Personally, I shaved neither my legs nor armpits for several years when I was a punk. Nowadays I still don’t try to conform and wouldn’t have a problem with running around unshaved, I still think it looks better shaved and doesn’t distract from your style. I know, if it was normal not to shave (if more women didn’t do it), noone would feel distracted and therefore I should start letting it grow again, but I put my vanity first in this case.
Shaving your legs is not a a matter of hygiene its a culture issue.
I personally don’t see the big deal.
Am I implying that I don’t shave my legs? yes. however, I have no hair on my legs unfortunately but If I did I would not shave irregardless.
Shaving of a female’s legs is a white western standard the norm in euorpean and north american societies.
Monique says,“I really think hair on a woman’s legs is a black woman’s thing,” she later added, after pointing out that she does shave under her arms to avoid “stink.”
This is quite valid for the most part, being black myself and knowing our culture. In fact go to jamaica or even nigeria to see how socially backwards it would be to shave your legs.
In the book Queen bees, wannabees that the movie mean girls was based,
the author analyzes the beauty ideals in different cultures. The whole book was on the author’s researchof cliches, bullies, and girl culture in prettens and adolscents.Its found the at black students in a hight to middle class envoiroment choose to take on some beauty ideals to look more ” white” or to fit in the with the majority of the population. Futher debate/ discussion welcome:)
Well, she’s in the United States and in the United States, black women shave their legs. I have no problem with her not wanting to shave her legs but I hate that she has labeled it a “black woman’s thing”. I’m pretty sure that the majority of American black women shave their legs.
I totally agree. We shave our legs (and other things) because everyone else does. It’s considered normal in western cultures to do so. So many aspects of our culture are very deeply ingrained; therefore when someone steps outside of what’s considered “normal”, they can catch a lot of crap. Breastfeeding, body hair…both natural, but unshaven legs/underarms make some uncomfortable (or grossed out as several readers so “eloquently” put it), just as public breastfeeding does also. As for unshaven legs being a black woman’s thing…well, Monique knows her history and apparently, many of those commenting don’t. Yes, many black women today shave. They also relax their hair, go tanning, and do many other unnecessary (some feel) things, in a self-hating (once again, some feel) bid for conformity. If you dig a little bit deeper into your history, you’d find that leg shaving is pretty new for black women. Shaving is not the norm in most African countries, West Indian countries, or Bermuda, where the population majority is black. Leg hair is normal, even sexy. Many women slick it down with lotion, or oils, as a part of their grooming ritual. Before integration, many American black women did not shave their legs, but felt pressured to do so after being brought into closer proximity with their European counterparts. My mother said she started shaving her legs in middle school after being teased for having hairy legs, by white classmates.
Is leg shaving a race thing? No. It is an accepted, even expected part of our society.
Disclaimer: Yes, I am a black woman. No, I do not cast judgment on those of you who shave, or use relaxers; I do love my Venus razor, and I do miss my Olive Oil perm lol.
MO’NIQUE YOU GO GIRL!
People in this society have a very narrow perception of what is beautiful. Because her confidence is.
The point is not whether to shave or not to shave … the point is that UNSHAVEN legs do not make her any less of a woman.
Although, for the sake of playing devil’s advocate … she has a very nice pedicure. If she had no issues paying someone to do her toes, why couldn’t she pay someone to wax/shave her legs?
eww is that for real?,
my boyfriend has less hair on his legs than her, and i dont like shaving but my hair doesn’t grow up like that :S it is really difficult to see ’cause it is too light and short
Haha ew mrs.doubtfire
I find this really unattractive.
I can’t satnd how it feels when there’s even a tiny bit of hair on my legs. I think to take pride in your appearance helps with confidence and helps you to feel pulled together and in control.
I don’t understand how people saying it is a positive move for feminism to have hairy legs. Do we have to look like men to be treated equally? Do we not possess the ability to be taken seriously as women whilst also maintaining a different look to men?
I’m in two minds about it–
a) I think it looks gross, but
b) women should be allowed to do what they want beauty-wise without being judged.
I don’t know. I don’t like the look of unshaven legs but I can’t help feeling like this borders on some kind of women’s rights/respect issue. Whatever… it’s just leg hair. I’m not going to waste any more time agonizing over it haha.
I don’t think it has anything to do with women’s rights. Men need to shave their face. Especially if they have an office job. Even if they have a beard, it must be trimmed neatly. People need to get haircuts and trim their nails…
I also saw her in People magazine with hairy legs, so I guess this is her M.O.
To each their own. If she doesn’t want to shave/wax her legs, than alright. Whatever.
All I know is I love it when my legs are smooth; it makes me feel sexy and clean. And I definetly would have made sure to look as sexy as possible for such an event.
You’re wifes a bigfoot Gus. gooney goo goo. Eddie has nightmares, wakes up screaming Aunt Bunny is coming to get me. I bet she has a mustache.
My leg hair is hardly noticeable and I can go for months without shaving (although I must compensate invisible body hair with thin, fine hair and almost no eyebrows), I like the feeling of just-shaved legs. Everything that touches it, like bedsheets, long skirts etc feels softer and smoother, somehow.
But I think if someone doesn’t shave her legs, it’s really up to her. Or even pits. The only time I had issues with unshaven pits was when I found out my 24-year-old cousin NEVER shaves her pits, which resemble thick black pompoms under her arms, but instead gets her MOTHER to tweeze them out for her (clearly, it’s not something that happens often). I once saw them in the act of pit-tweezing and I was so disturbed. I wouldn’t even ask my mom to do anything for me, let alone tweeze my pits. It’s so disrespectful to make your elders do something like that!
That’s awesome, men don’t have to shave so why should women feel like they have to if they don’t want to? It’s just hair too, i don’t understand why people find it so gross.
I think it’s the feeling. The thought of touching/feeling hairy legs is not as pleasant as feeling baby smooth skin.
if only she could change the whole men don’t shave their legs (neither the rest actually) so we should we ? but in addition to the aesthetic question, there’s a feeling question too, as many said … and I definitely think, but it’s a personal view point, that a woman’s hairy pair of legs is as much attractive as a man’s smooth and shaved pair of legs … it just seems wrong somehow :S
oh why?
)
wow, I’m fair-haired – I didn’t realize just how much hair darker ladies have (some of them, anyway).
I think shaving the legs, if they’re on show, is always a goods idea…
darker-haired*
I think I just vomited a little in my mouth… Ew !
Meh. It’s leg hair, not genocide. If it makes you vomit in your mouth, you have some growing up to do, methinks.
*like*
gross
charming
my boyfriend’s legs are less hairy. its none of our business but i would not show unshaven in front everybody.never!!
charming
my boyfriend’s legs are less hairy. its none of our business but i would not show unshaven legs in front everybody.never!!
Well, that’s not the most gorgeous thing in the world . . . But I suppose it’s her choice. I mean, most of us would be liars if we said we shaved our legs every single day.
You would think, though that for the Golden Globes she’d run a razor over her legs, or at least not lift up her dress and show the world. It’s one thing to do it, and another thing to call attention to it. That was clearly quite attention-seeking. (Not saying there’s anything wrong with that.)
I mean, a gymnast wouldn’t go to a competition with an unshaved bikini line, and in my opinion, an actress shouldn’t go to an award show with unshaved legs.
iiwwou!
*gavomits* D:
Well, I don’t shave my legs either. Neither does my mother or grandmother.
Then again, we don’t grow hair on are legs. Zero. Don’t need to shave. And I’m glad too, I’d be too lazy.
This isn’t really news. She’s always been upfront about the fact that she never shaves her legs. It’s not something I personally would do, but I say all the power to her. They’re her legs and she can do whatever she wants with them.
There seem to be quite a few comments criticizing Mo’Nique’s choice…and a few with an indifferent approach, but I am quite convinced that there is NOTHING wrong with body hair. The fact that women are expected to ritually rid their bodies of the natural hair (that we have evolved with, or were given by God, depending on personal beliefs) is a completely backwards, outdated requirement.
Are all those with freckles or moles forced to remove or cover them because “smooth, unblemished baby skin” is more attractive? Absolutely not. If people choose to modify their modifies through shaving, cosmetic surgery, etc. it is their choice, however the fact that women seem to find their own body hair “repulsive” and “gross” is more disgusting to me than any unshaved leg will ever be.
say on, say on!!!
I mean, if its naturally there (and naturally on all women – not like how some women get mustaches…) then how can it make you look like a man?
since body hair either appears for the first time, or gets darker and thicker at the onset of puberty…wait for it…maybe your shave legs (and whatever else) make you look like a little girl.
Wow, this reminds me, I really need to shave my legs!
Winter in Minnesota…
Ok I dont shave my legs I am black. I shave my pits though. Who says hair on your legs is gross? Who says the rule of thumb is to shave your hair. All the men I have ever been with like hairy legs. Monique once state on her radio show that Sydney her husband like her hairy legs.
People say hair is dirty, true. Do you have a bald head? You wash your legs more than you wash your hair, well I can only speaks for black women and I have hair that can be washed everyday, but I dont.
If you prefer to shave your legs thats you and if I or someone else chooses not to, thats our PERSONAL choice, whether we wear long pants, capri,skirt,dress or shorts.
I have perfectly straight teeth, never had braces, do you? If not why not get braces, a retainer, hell get them all pulled, so I dont have to look at your jagged,jumbled together teeth that are gross and an eyesore!! (Dont get offended either, if you cant take it dont dish it.)
Is a mole a beauty mark? Depends on its location I guess, why not get it removed if it looks like a bouger sitting on your lip or eye?
Are your nails perfectly manicured? Do you have bunions on your feet? Are you 5’8 and 130lbs what the world considers to be model like. By being model like that is role model, image yourself like this/that!!
Get the picture…You have yourself and your ways and you do whats best for you. Do you and everyone else will def do them!!!!
OMG did you get those shoes from payless? I can tell you cant be my friend and I will let everyone know that just because payless sells shoes doesnt mean you have to be de classey and buy them to wear out in the public ILL el cheapo LMAO… GET IT GOT IT GOOD. Thatsall.com
I agree with Sunshine…everyone has their own style and their own preferences.
Personally, I prefer smooth skin but I would never judge somebody else if they don’t remove body hair.
I’m not quite sure about it being a “black woman’s thing”. I happen to be a Black woman, or more accurately, biracial. My father is a Louisiana Creole and my mother is white. I’m very light-skinned and I’ve been shaving since middle school.
Most of the Black American girls that I know tend to shave also. It is true that some women from parts of the Caribbean don’t shave.
As to Mo’Nique…I don’t like the way it looks, but who am I to judge? It isn’t my body.
I can’t believe how many people say ‘gross’ to something like leg hair.
How immature can you get. Who cares if she shaves her legs or not? It’s not like it directly affects you in anyway.
Culturally, having hairless legs is the norm, and some people might be uncomfortable when women don’t. But you don’t need to criticize them! It is their decision, and it just means that they aren’t conforming to society’s idea of women. We have come so far with women’s rights in recent years, why can’t we accept that yes, some women might not want to shave her legs.
This comes from someone who has been witness to the horrible things other people will say to someone just because they don’t shave their legs.
a women has to shave her legs, that is it!!!
All you idiots…Monique got just what she wanted…stupid chatter from all of you.
Whose rule is it anyway that women SHOULD shave their legs? You are all stupid sheep following the “leader” (some woman or man who first said it’s beautiful to shave your legs) to the slaughter…you have no mind of your own…Monique and other women are being the unique beings that we all should be with a mind of our own. You go Monique!!
Hey! Im a girl and i hardly shave!
peers get on me about being a tomboy an tough, we can’t all be the weak,smooth and frail beings that rely on a males support!
I don’t know about you but i’d rather be ruff and tumble! Yes, i’m black. GET OFF HER ASS!
.and for so many years women have listened to immature comments from men like yuk when hair is natural and shaving anything black is a subject too deep since we’re all n this page now.Nasty is one of many things u r told to think..shits effective n data mean$..Plus 4sum women its a statement n real talk sum of the baddest and exotic wmen r hairy