Woman Empowers Others By Refusing To Shave Hair On Her Chest As It Makes Her Feel Beautiful & Confident

Jul 21, 2023

The age-old notion that women should get rid of unwanted hair on their bodies to conform to beauty standards is still deeply ingrained in society's concept of what's beautiful. But one remarkable woman has fearlessly shattered this conventional belief, embracing the hair on her chest without any apologies.

Esther Calixte-Bea, a 26-year-old Montreal-based artist, is making waves by proudly embracing her chest, leg and armpit hair. For years, Calixte-Bea battled insecurity and self-doubt, struggling to conform to society's expectations that dictated she should be hairless. 

However, in a bold move towards self-acceptance, she decided to get rid of her razors once and for all and let her natural hair grow. The decision has made her feel sexier, more confident and more comfortable in her own skin than ever before.

Her journey toward embracing her body hair was not an easy one. Growing up, Calixte-Bea revealed that she experienced deep feelings of insecurity and shyness when society deemed her unfeminine. 

The young artist recalled obsessively shaving during her school years after she was ridiculed in class until she felt depressed and exhausted about the whole process. Calixte-Bea realized how much it was a burden to hide her natural hair from other people. 

After delving into her family lineage, Calixte-Bea discovered that her irregular hair growth was not a medical condition but rather a beautiful part of her heritage. Hailing from the Wè tribe in Ivory Coast, Africa, she learned that the women in her great-grandmother's time were also blessed with abundant hair, which was also celebrated as a sign of beauty.

Determined to break free from the cycle of insecurity, Esther decided to redefine beauty on her own terms. In 2019, Calixte-Bea encountered the word "body hair activist" on social media and felt that this aligned with her efforts to accept her situation. It kicked off her desire to share her story with the world and let people know that women can still be feminine despite growing thick body hair, per Mirror. 

Calixte-Bea felt the full effect of her decision to advocate for her body when she decided to stop shaving for good. In May 2020, she made the courageous decision to put down the razor and found the transformation liberating.

“It is the best thing I have ever done as I feel sexier and comfortable in my own skin," she said. 

However, accepting her body hair and defying societal norms were not without their challenges. Admittedly, it was difficult to flaunt her hair publicly in the beginning, as it went against the grain of conventional beauty standards. But through perseverance and positive self-talk, she overcame her fears and began to embrace her natural self.

"I had to push myself at the start by walking out with short shorts with leg hair,” she revealed. “After a few weeks, I began to feel comfortable. People stare, but I don't have to worry anymore.” 

Calixte-Bea’s courageous journey did not go unnoticed, especially in the age of social media, where she has a TikTok and Instagram following. While she faced mixed reactions from people in public, ranging from curious stares to admiration, online support poured in from all corners of the world. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with countless women reaching out to express their gratitude for her inspiring stance.

Esther Calixte-Bea's empowering story serves as a reminder that beauty comes in all forms, and true self-acceptance lies in breaking free from societal expectations. Do you know someone who can relate to this experience? Then pass this story along for inspiration.