Dear Snarky,
I don’t know whether to be embarrassed or angry. We recently moved to a new neighborhood that has a community pool. My husband and I bring our two young daughters there to swim almost every day.
Yesterday we got a letter in the mail. It was from the HOA and it said that neighbors found my husband’s “excessive back hair disturbing” and that there had been “complaints.” The letter went on to request that in “the future he wear a “swim shirt” or some kind of “cover up for his upper body.”
Yes, my husband is hairy, but he’s a MAN. It’s never something that I think anyone has found “disturbing” before. Should we just ignore the letter and go to the pool or buy a cover up for my husband? To be honest right now, I just want to move.
Signed, Kathy
Dear Kathy,
First off, please know that I doubt any where in your Home Owners Association covenant does it state that furry men have to wear swim shirts. So, your HOA can just shove it. In fact, if I were you I’d take a razor and shave HOA’s Suck into your husband’s back (call it hair artistry) and then have him go the pool and do cannon balls.
Now, I know the chances of you actually doing that are slim to none so here’s some advice you might really use. Do whatever is best for your family. If you want to take a stand have your husband go shirtless to the pool and proudly celebrate his abundant follicle forest.
If this is going to make you and your hubs uncomfortable and keep you away from the pool then buy a swim shirt and just be done with it. Or you can go to another pool where you don’t feel like you’re being judged and enjoy your summer.
Now if you really want to make splash you could threaten your HOA with legal action. I’m no lawyer, but maybe you should file a civil suit for discrimination based on body hair. Supreme Court here you come!
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Snarky in the Suburbs 