Discrimination in the Worst Way

I hate discrimination, any kind of discriminition.  I am particularly sensitive to gender discrimination and once upon a time considered myself somewhat of a feminist.  I have lightened up a bit in my "old age" and even find most of the differences between the sexes things to honor or at the very least make light of.  Feminine qualities and masculine qualities, well they are what makes the world go 'round. They are why we have babies and families and without them what would be the purpose of any of this?

But I must draw the line at corporations trying to keep a good woman down.  For 22 years I have trusted that a pretty pink razor was the best tool to shave my legs.  I have in recent months discovered this to be incorrect.  I thought for sure that razor companies with all of their research, science and space age materials were marketing products to women, designed for women.  I just knew that the strange shapes and designs of the female razor were made that way because somehow they would shave a female better than the more functional looking male counterpart. 

Over the years I have tried different shaving and hair removal implements.  I was sucked in by an expensive electric model, I tried the torture device commonly known as Epilady (I assure you there was nothing ladylike about ripping your hairs out with a battery operated twisted coil), I tried home waxing kits; eventually I always seemed to return to a disposable razor.  Over the years, I guility tried Jeff's razor here and there.  Jeff, for the most part has always used a standard razor with disposable blades, nothing too fancy but it did require a $40 or $50 investment initially. 

See, he shaves in the shower.  Which I must admit is one of his best qualities.  I am not kidding.  There have been very few times over the years that I have come into the bathroom to use the sink only to find someone left ground up oreo cookies all over the place.  This is gross.  I think that shaving in the sink and then not immediately cleaning up the sink makes it looks like someone ate cookies and cream ice cream out of my bathroom sink.  Gross.  But not Jeff.  He shaves in the shower, all of that cookie mess goes directly down the drain. 

This does leave a razor in the shower, that isn't mine.  I must admit that once in awhile I would use his razor, on my legs.  It was always under duress, I had thrown mine away or it was 'used up' and I didn't want to run across the dry floor with wet feet  and grab a new one.  I always felt bad, because I was sure that I probably was using up his razor quickly by using it on my legs.  His razor, I thought, although quite wonderful for faces, was definitely not made to perform a full body shave.  It always felt wonderful, the shave was always very close and never led to razor bumps.  Eliminate the guilt and the fact that I thought that I would somehow "use up" the blades too quickly and it was perfect.

Fast forward through years and years of searching for the perfect razor.  I definitely knew I needed to invest in a real razor, no more disposables.  I started the research process.  I think I might have read Self magazine at the salon.  Very extensive research.  Well, I came across this article about the best razor.  It reviewed six or seven different women's razor and chose the "editor's choice".  Much to my amazement, a men's razor was the top choice.

At no point did it say anything about the blade being used up too quickly.  In fact, in every area this razor was superior.  I was hooked.  I came home and told Jeff and he casually says, "I have an extra one if you want it".  What did he mean?  Of course I wanted it!  I felt like I had struck gold, and no longer would I have to feel guilty. 

I love my razor!  It is a Schick Quatro - for men.  It is a heavy metal razor, very balanced and a perfect fit.  I have never cut myself with it.  It gets the closest shave I have ever had with no yucky bumps.  It has a satisfying snick-snick feeling when I am shaving, especially with a new blade. 

Why oh why do companies try and convince us that a round handled pink razor will shave our legs better than a nice metal razor?  Women do most of the cooking in this country, do we need softly shaped and colored knive?  No, we use sharp knives that fit in our feminine hands just fine.  And even if we did need a different shaped handle, shouldn't the blade do the same thing at the same quality?  This is the real question.  Why wouldn't we want our legs to be shaved just as well as a man's face?  Why wouldn't these companies whant our legs shaved that well also?  I can tell you this, it makes no sense.  I feel very silly for falling for marketing ploys for so long, when the object of my desire was right in my own shower all along.  What else have I been duped about?