For years, she worried about other people’s glances before even stepping outside. Now, she raises her arms, faces the camera and lets the comments roll in. On one of the world’s most influential platforms, one woman is quietly challenging how female bodies are supposed to look.
challenging long held ideas about femininity
Body hair on women has long been treated as something to hide, remove or apologise for. Despite growing conversations about body positivity, smooth skin is still often presented as the default version of ‘beauty’. Anyone who has ever forgotten to shave before a summer holiday or felt awkward in a changing room will recognise that pressure.
That is precisely what makes the presence of Lydi Winter on TikTok so striking. A British content creator, she has chosen to place her body hair front and centre, not as a provocation, but as a statement of comfort and self acceptance.
Online, she goes by the name ‘Lydi Hairy’, a label she wears with humour and intention. Her account has become a space where female body hair is not edited out or softened, but shown plainly and confidently.
‘it took me a long time to feel comfortable’
One of her most talked about videos shows her standing in an orange bikini, arms raised. Her underarm hair is clearly visible, as is her pubic hair peeking out above the fabric. It is an image that still feels surprisingly rare on mainstream social media.
In the video, she speaks openly about her journey. ‘I’m a big fan of body hair. It took me a long time to feel comfortable with it, but I think anyone can get there,’ she says. The clip has been viewed more than a million times.
That sense of recognition is powerful. I remember a friend once cancelling a last minute swim because she ‘hadn’t shaved’. No one else would have noticed, but the fear of being judged was enough to keep her home. Stories like that are far from unusual.
@lydi.hairy Your girl just wants to build a Travel UGC page… so she can keep staying in these places for FREE. #dailyvlog #travelUGC #travel #fypシ #coldwater #coldwaterswimming ♬ BIRDS OF A FEATHER sped up – Lilly 💗
praise, criticism and everything in between
As expected, the reactions to Lydi’s posts are mixed. Some comments express clear discomfort, especially from people who still see female body hair as unfeminine or unhygienic. Others, both women and men, thank her for showing something they rarely see reflected online.
According to the British Association of Dermatologists, body hair is entirely natural and its removal is a cultural choice rather than a medical necessity. Yet cultural habits can be hard to shake, particularly when they are reinforced daily by advertising and entertainment.
What stands out is that Lydi does not frame her content as an attack. She does not tell others what they should do with their bodies. Instead, she focuses on visibility. By simply existing online as she is, she opens the door for others to question whether their own discomfort is really theirs, or something they have inherited.
finding an audience without expecting it
Lydi has said she never anticipated such a strong response. She knew the topic was sensitive, but the scale of engagement surprised her. That reaction suggests a hunger for more honest representations of bodies, especially on platforms often criticised for promoting unrealistic ideals.
For some viewers, her videos offer reassurance. For others, they spark debate. Both outcomes matter. Normalising difference rarely happens quietly.
In the end, her message is a simple one. Confidence is not something you wake up with overnight. It is built slowly, often by seeing someone else take a step first. In that sense, a raised arm on a TikTok video can carry more weight than it seems.
