A lustrous moustache is often seen as a symbol of pride and high social standing by Indian men. They take great care in grooming their facial hair. But it is the opposite for women. For centuries, men have not just dictated the lifestyles of women but have also set standards of beauty for them. Having a flawless face without a strand of facial hair is one of them. Women take great pains and spend a lot of money to have it removed, as it is perceived as undesirable for the female lot to have a moustache. But for the 35-year-old Indian woman from Kerala, her moustache is the most attractive part about her. She is breaking all gender stereotypes by donning a moustache with pride. Shyja became popular on social media after posting a note in a Facebook group. According to news reports Shyja’s moustache started thickening into a visible moustache 5 years ago and a delighted Shyja decided to keep it. In real life, Shyja is used to awkward gazes and mocking comments on the streets. Even on social media, she is liked by some for her brave choice, while some troll her. She asks, “But isn't that about what I like - what to keep and what not to?" Shyja's friends often furiously reply to these comments on Facebook, but she says it doesn't bother her at all.

While she would regularly get her eyebrows threaded, Shyja says she never felt the need to remove the moustache. Shyja said, “I like having a moustache and I don’t want to remove it. “People can say anything. Today it might be my moustache and tomorrow they might be behind something else. That’s their problem…It's human nature…”She added, "I can't imagine living without it now. When the Covid pandemic started, I disliked wearing a mask all the time because it covered my face. Neither my husband nor my daughter have an issue,” Shyja, who has undergone six surgeries over a decade, including removal of a lump in her breast and cyst in her ovary, remains positive, undeterred by insulting remarks. Overcoming multiple health crises only strengthened Shyja's belief that she should live her life in a way that makes her happy. In her everyday life, she wants to break the patriarchal mindset. Shyja's family and friends have been supportive of her moustache. Her daughter often tells her it looks good on her. There are many underlying reasons for facial hair growth in women, however one of them is abnormal hormonal imbalance. 

Amid the burgeoning market of hair removal products, including wax strips and epilators, and societal norms considering women’s facial hair as undesirable. But in recent years, many women have been choosing to go against the norm by accepting and even taking pride in their facial hair. In 2016, body positivity campaigner Harnaam Kaur became the youngest woman in the world to have a full beard, according to the Guinness World Records. In interviews, she has often spoken about how accepting her facial hair has been an important part of learning to love herself in the face of bullying.

Tags

• Kerala
• Woman
• Shyja
• moustache
• beard

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