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https://www.wsj.com/articles/armpit-hair-back-emma-corrin-vogue-11657925530

When Julia Roberts appeared at the “Notting Hill” premiere in 1999 with hairy armpits peeking out from her sparkling red gown, the debate about her body hair trumped any news about the rom-com, which went on to become the highest-grossing British film of all time. “Fuzzy About Feminism,” proclaimed the Herald Sun in Melbourne, Australia. “Fur Flies When Julia Roberts Greets the Crowd,” said the Denver Post. “Pitty Woman,” blared a headline from the Sun in the United Kingdom, which also asked readers to call its “Furry Phone-in” with their thoughts. (At the time Ms. Roberts told Howard Stern that she didn’t understand all the fuss. Today, she declines to comment.)

Shouldn’t armpit hair for all genders—embraced by celebrities, espoused by laissez-faire hippies since the 1960s—be a non-issue by now? And yet, it still has the power to raise eyebrows, even as it enters the zeitgeist again.

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This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.