4 Apr 2015

Rebecca Herzig: hair removal

From Saturday Morning, 9:08 am on 4 April 2015

PluckedIt has been observed that most of Earth's mammals possess fur, but only one seeks to remove it – and that's us, and we seem to be seeking remove more of it all the time.

Professor Rebecca Herzig has written a history of hair removal in which she says, in America at least, the practice has preoccupied political thinkers, shaped science, medicine, commerce and war, and elicited astounding levels of financial, emotional and ecological investment.

She talks to Kim about the cultural, racial and sexual dimensions of hair removal.