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Whatever your personal approach is to body hair, if you identify as a woman, you’ve likely heard the expression “pain is beauty”—and chances are it has been linked with a hair removal experience, be it a painful wax or uncomfortable shave. In fact, according to a 2021 survey* commissioned by Gillette Venus, 96% of Canadian women groom their pubic hair in some fashion—though it’s not a topic openly discussed.

The same survey also found that 77% of Canadian women use slang words to refer to genitals instead of correct anatomical terms. From down there to bikini area to fuzz and bush—our female genitalia and pubic hair have been called just about everything, except the correct anatomical terminology.

It’s why Gillette Venus launched its #SayPubic campaign back in 2021. The goal? To legitimize conversations about the pubic area and reclaim anatomically correct language, because pubic is not a dirty word, and beauty does not equal pain. The movement coincides with the launch of the Gillette Venus for Pubic Hair and Skin line-up of products—designed and tested by women, dermatologists and gynecologists specifically to care for pubic hair and skin. Whether your pubic hair is there, bare, or in-between, the Gillette Venus for Pubic Hair and Skin range can be used together or individually to fit your specific preferences.

To challenge these long-held biases, Gillette Venus is encouraging women to ditch  the outdated and incorrect terms for the pubic region and #SayPubic. We invited three real Canadian women to chat about their own lived experiences with pubic grooming and share their stories.

When twenty-eight-year-old lawyer Fayola discovered that 77 percent of Canadian women use slang terms to refer to their pubic area*, she wasn’t all that surprised. “Growing up, my mom taught me that my vagina is called ‘pumpkin’,” she says, noting that she didn’t actually learn correct anatomical terms until she was about sixteen years old. “I didn’t ever talk to my friends or anybody about it, and no one else was using the term ‘pumpkin’ on TV or online,” she says. “We don’t talk about female anatomy enough. And because we don’t talk about it, it’s not normalized, it’s uncomfortable. It’s called vagina, and that’s what I’m going to use.”

Janique, 35, is a flight attendant. When she considered switching up her grooming habits, her resources were limited. “I went through a period where I wanted to grow [my pubic hair] in and I wanted to know what kind of styles [exist]. I thought, do people keep a lot of hair or just in one area? I searched it but there was nothing really, so I had no idea,” she says. “I wish that was talked about more.”

For twenty-three-year-old hardware engineer and pianist Tiffany, using the Gillette Venus for Pubic Hair and Skin collection was her first experience shaving. “When I received this range, I was really intimidated at first, because I was always scared of cutting myself with a razor. But it was very enjoyable, really easy, and I didn’t experience any of the redness or irritation that most people talk about.” And remember: although 96 percent of Canadian women choose to groom their pubic area in some say*, there’s no one right way to deal with pubic hair. “At the end of the day, how we decide to handle our body, including our pubic hair, is entirely up to us.”

Gillette Venus for Pubic Hair and Skin Softening Oil, $22.99, Gillette Venus for Pubic Hair and Skin 2-in-1 Cleanser + Shave Gel, $22.99, Gillette Venus for Pubic Hair and Skin Skin Smoothing Exfoliant, $22.99, Gillette Venus for Pubic Hair and Skin Daily Soothing Serum, $22.99, Gillette Venus for Pubic Hair and Skin Gentle Trimmer, $44.99, Gillette Venus for Pubic Hair and Skin Women’s Razor Handle + 3 Blade Refills, $26.99, at shoppersdrugmart.ca. Pricing is at the sole discretion of the retailers. Photo: Gillette Venus

*Methodology: 285 Canadian women 18-45 were asked about their pubic grooming habits and use of the word pubic. The study was in field on March 2021

Disclaimer This content was funded and approved by the advertiser.

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