My partner was unperturbed, and rightly so after 5 years living with me. This wasn’t even in the top ten most ‘out there’ things I’d done since we got together. He said he preferred me when I was silky smooth but it wasn’t something that he was bothered by and that it was just a marginal preference, not something that would affect how he saw me or felt about me.

I had an interview for a documentary about three weeks into my no-shave journey, and ordinarily would have shaved my legs and underarms just in case, being mortified if stubble had been seen peeking out around my ankles. This time I wore tight fitting leather look leggings that stopped mid-calf, a floaty shirt and ankle boots. Sporting a full face of makeup, perfect winged eyeliner and the beginnings of a Mr Tumnus-cosplay on my lower legs I walked into the interview feeling not that bothered. I felt aligned, confident, and good about how I looked and honestly in that moment didn’t need validation from anyone at all.