It’s 2018 and the Cardi B movement has begun. Since the beginning of the year, Cardi B has been in everyone’s mouth, whether they were talking about her engagement, her collaboration with Bruno Mars on the song “Finesse,” or her fashion style that never fails to impress. Unfortunately, during the 2018 Grammy’s people chose to focus not on why she was there or who or what she was wearing, but instead on how much body hair she was showing. Cardi B was scheduled to sing at the Grammy’s alongside Bruno Mars, but before performing, Moschino (a clothing brand) chose to release a picture on their Instagram of Cardi B wearing one of their outfits to the event. Moschino posted the picture to praise her look, but the picture received an unexpected reaction. Instead of receiving compliments towards Cardi B’s outfit, Instagram users decided to talk about her happy trail. All sorts of rude comments were left about her stomach hair. Even some Cardi B fans pitched contributed to the negativity. Some even went as far as advising her to shave the hairs before performing. Yes, there were others who ran to her defense, but it’s unbelievable that even in today’s political age, where the Women’s March has become of great importance, people still choose to push females down based on how much body hair they have.

When I first got the news about Cardi B’s unwelcome hair I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and smile. I found it dumb that people thought it was of great importance for her to not appear on-stage with belly hair. It is not like she was showing her pubes. Instead of bashing her like others, I praise her for it, because it is a topic that many females can relate too – including me.

Ironically just a week prior to the Grammy’s, as I was laying in bed watching Netflix, my own sister brought this topic up by asking me if I had hairs on my stomach. Right away, I knew this was one of those moments where you’re too afraid to ask something concerning yourself, so you make up a “friend” and ask the question for that “friend.” Except in this situation she made me the “friend.”

I responded back with no, “No, I don’t…because I remove them, but yes it’s normal for girls to have hair in their stomach.”

I had make sure she knew that even though I didn’t have any, that doesn’t mean that I never have belly hair, and that she was not alone. I started thinking about how at her age I wished I had someone that I could have posed that question to. It would’ve been nice to know that it was normal, and I bet that many other girls out there have the same question that my sister did. This is why when the Cardi B incident happened I smiled, because maybe she didn’t do it intentionally, but it is still something we needed. My words may not reach many, or be of importance to others, but Cardi B can now reassure girls and women alike that body hair, even on the stomach, is normal, and that even celebrities have it.

Featured Image retrieved from the Moschino Instagram. All credits to Moschino.