Roxie, 30, Seattle, Washington

"Whether you shave or not, women should be allowed to make decisions about their bodies without judgment from others."

Nikki, 28, New Orleans, Louisiana

"A lot of my female friends didn't shave and I thought it looked lovely on them, but struggled to hold that same attitude towards myself.

My family doesn't understand it and are probably some degree of embarrassed to be seen with me in a tank top.... Women around my age have been far and away the most supportive demographic.... It's crazy to me that most adult women don't know what their natural body hair even looks like.... Having underarm hair makes me feel like a punk rock warrior enchantress. Like Stevie Nicks and Patti Smith and Joan of Arc put in a blender."

Lauren, Brazil

"I decided to let my body hair grow because my body is my own, and I can do what I want with it. People should understand that women have body hair too, and there's nothing wrong with that."

Allyson, 30, Austin, Texas

"I stopped shaving my bikini area in college when my then-boyfriend went on a study abroad trip. While he was gone, I realized I preferred having a fuller bikini area. Ingrown hairs were awful! Razor burn was awful! And the hair helps prevent yeast infections and other issues. I quit shaving my legs [two years later], when one day I calculated the amount of time I spent a week shaving. I felt like I was wasting time on something that didn't matter, so I quit."

Molly, 23, Durham, North Carolina

"It's funny because I shaved to conform or please in some way, but I was always self-conscious about it. I think that was ultimately because I felt uncomfortable [with myself] in general, physically and emotionally. Only when I stopped did I feel more comfortable -- not the other way around. Having grown out body hair, specifically pubic hair, makes me feel more womanly, more self-assured, more in control."