A British woman decided to stop shaving her body at the age of 27 to challenge societal beauty standards. Bethany Burgoyne, a journalist and businesswoman, made the bold decision in 2018 to embrace her natural body hair, including a beard that has grown on her face.

Bethany proudly displays her body as it is, despite comments from people suggesting she looks like a man. She remains undeterred by these remarks, whether they come from strangers on the street or users on social media. “I felt safe doing this without the judgment of others seeing me. The more I looked and touched the hairs on my face and neck, the more I realized that they were a beautiful part of me and that I could feel good and proud of my appearance,” Bethany explained to The Sun newspaper. She now feels confident and happy showing herself just as she is.

Bethany’s decision to stop shaving permanently came in 2019 after being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that affects millions of women worldwide. PCOS can cause high levels of androgens, leading to issues like acne and abnormal hair growth on the body.

“For a couple of years, I focused my attention on questioning and unlearning what I had been taught about female body image. This helped me recognize the absurdity of beauty standards and allowed me to regain control of feeling good in my own skin without manipulating, removing, or enhancing anything,” Bethany said.

She has since created social media accounts and a website to share her journey, encouraging women to accept their bodies and not worry about societal beauty norms. Bethany’s story has gone viral, joining a growing movement of women rejecting traditional beauty stereotypes.