Internet Going Gaga Over Mama Dicaprio’s Armpit Hair: Sparks Debate Over Women’s Right On Their Body

While the world is celebrating International Women’s day with the theme “Pledge For Parity,” one part of the internet is busy discussing whether or not a woman should keep her armpit hair.

A photo of baby Leonardo DiCaprio with his parents posted by the Facebook page History In Pictures triggered the internet war.

The photo was posted two days after the 41-year-old actor won his first Academy Award.

It was simply a photograph of an innocent baby with his seemingly happy parents, but somehow the picture turned into a focal point for discussion on women’s beauty standards.

Although the photo was posted two days after DiCaprio’s long-awaited win at the Oscars, more than the cuteness of baby Leonardo, people were interested in his mother Irmelin’s unshaved armpit.

https://www.facebook.com/historyallday/photos/a.1417075835221721.1073741827.1417074428555195/1665912903671345/?type=3

Many people expressed their disgust at Mama DiCaprio’s furry armpit.

One commentator wrote: “Beast of a pit” while another comment read “That’s Gross, end of discussion.”

However, the disapproving commentators quickly had to suffer a surge of counter comments.

“The ignorance is ridiculous, not every woman has to shave to appease you.”

“It’s so funny I am part of a generation that wants to “free the nipple”, but freaks out when women have hair in their armpits. #feminism,” wrote a Facebook user.

Australian Women’s Weekly has published the same story with the title “Why do we still treat women’s bodies like they’re gross?”

Some Facebook users were not at all happy that the photo gained popularity because of the hairy armpit of DiCaprio’s mother and not because of his Oscar win.

“When I saw this, I thought ‘Wow, that little toddler just got an Oscar. His parents must be extremely proud!’ Not ‘Omg, his mom didn’t shave her pits during a time where women didn’t shave their pits,'” one comment read.

An advocate of unshaven armpit pride even posted a photo of her hairy armpit in solidarity. The caption of the picture read “Not your body. Not your Choice!”

Reactions by Leonardo and his now-divorced parents to the controversy are, however, still unknown.

This is not the first time the issue of women’s body hair has generated a strong online reaction. There have been several such instances in the past as well.

In fact, unshaven armpit hair is the basis for a popular online solidarity campaign against the “standardization” of women’s bodies.

The photo, as of now, has more than 10,000 comments mostly focused on the armpit of DiCaprio’s mom. One comment, however, was about Leonardo’s blonde hair despite both of his parents having brown hair.

While all of you are looking at her armpits I’m looking at his blonde hair and their brunette hair. Lol Beautiful photo.

[Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP]