Why Bekah Martinez from The Bachelor Hasn’t Shaved Her Legs in Seven Years
Bachelor alum Bekah Martinez has opened up about her decision not to shave her legs for the past seven years.
On Tuesday, July 8, in a recent Instagram post, Martinez, 30, shared a screenshot of a message she received that stated, “Your face doesn’t jive with your hairy legs.”
“Grey must be grossed out,” the message continued, referring to her long-term partner, Grayston Leonard, with whom she has three children: daughter Ruth, 6, and sons Franklin, 5, and Ernesto, 21 months.
In a lengthy slideshow, Martinez expressed her belief that it’s her body and her choice.
“I began borrowing my mom’s razors in third grade. I remember praying to God to take away all my hair below the neck,” Martinez wrote. “Family, friends, and even teachers would teasingly comment when they noticed any stubble on my dark legs. While it seemed harmless, it constantly reinforced the notion that my body hair was unacceptable.”
She continued, “I stopped shaving when I was pregnant with my first child. I wanted my daughter (and sons) to see that body hair on a woman is normal, not something to be ashamed of. I wanted to show that body hair does not signify masculinity; I am a woman, and my body hair is feminine.”
“It wasn’t just for my kids,” she explained further. “It was also for me. I aimed to confront the discomfort I felt about my natural body. I still struggle with liking my body hair, and sometimes I can feel others staring, making me embarrassed. However, that feeling holds much less power over me now.”
She concluded, “And when Ruth points out, ‘Mom, my legs look like yours,’ without any shame, it makes it all worthwhile.”
As for her fiancé? “For the record, Gray attended a liberal arts college in Oregon, so he’s familiar with women who don’t shave,” Martinez humorously noted in her post.
Martinez was a contestant on The Bachelor season 22 back in 2018, competing for Arie Luyendyk Jr.’s affection, but she ultimately finished in fifth place.
Since her time on the show, she has built a loving relationship with Leonard, going official in July 2018, and they’ve been engaged since 2022.
“YES 🥂♥️,” Martinez captioned a July 2022 Instagram post displaying happy moments of her and Leonard celebrating their engagement ring.
