Cover image via Florence Lecloux
Belgian photographer, Florence Lecloux, posted on his [Facebook page] (https://www.facebook.com/florenceleclouxphotographe/) a series of photographs of a Belgian Philosophy student, Laura De, showing her hairy armpits
Image via Florence Lecloux
The series was posted to discuss the issue of women around the world being expected by the society to remove their body hair, especially their armpits'
Image via Florence Lecloux
Lecloux posted on his Tumblr how Laura De was inspired to discuss this issue once and for all by modeling for him
Image via Florence Lecloux
"I do not often talk about my struggle against the dictatorship of the smooth body .. Let me explain! One of the worst things it is the constant oppression of girls and women having to remove hair / shave on the entire body."
"**Nobody has the right to require you to do certain things with your body… Hair removal or not, makeup or not, fashionable or not, it's only you who decide, not others. Dare, be authentic**," added Laura.
However, instead of receiving positive comments, the photographs were given negative feedback. Some people were even verbally harassing Laura by posting inappropriate comments like these:
"Alors bonne chance avec vos migales sous les bras!"
(**Well good luck with the tarantulas under your arms!**)
"Je gerbe la looool le truc anti feminin."
(**Throwing up looool this thing is so anti-feminine.**)
"Jui mort sal put krkr."
(**Fucking slut haha**)
"La meuf elle est plus sale qu un animal."
(**That chick is dirtier than an animal.**)
"Ptn t'es quel genre de truie"
(**Fuck what kind of pig are you.**)
After receiving the negative comments, Laura reached out to a feminist group for support. The post gained positive comments after that:
Image via BuzzFeed France
"Ouch, I've read the comments. I should'nt have. But there is more love than shit. It's crazy. Keep going Laura."
"This is so violent, it's staggering. I can't believe that it's possible to read these kind of comments in 2016…"
Laura's post received over 7,000 comments and almost 3,000 shares on Facebook. She mentioned that her photo was also being posted into private Facebook groups to be mocked.
"I never thought I would be the victim of harassment and insults," said Laura De to [BuzzFeed France] (https://www.buzzfeed.com/mariekirschen/cette-femme-a-ete-harcelee-a-cause-dune-photo-facebook-montr).
Image via Florence Lecloux
14 days after posting her black and white [photo] (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10209422697311992&set=a.1601479764514.2080525.1461671500&type=3&permPage=1), she posted a behind-the-scene shot of the photoshoot and shared her thoughts on the bashing she's been receiving:
"I just wanted to say to all: thank you. To the hundreds of people who came to support me their comments, of their private messages, their shares of my pictures and art projects. Girls, boys and a-gender who you fight for a more just world with courage and inflexibility, you're my hero."
"**Love and tolerance are master word of our struggle, thank you for having so much spread. We change the world, because together, we are invincible**," added Laura De on Facebook.
Here's her full post:
What do you think about this body-shaming issue?
Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
