The moment Nathalie raised her arm during her performance of ‘Gising Na’ at the Trillion Peso March on September 21, 2025, was the moment social media trolls began turning her body into a spectacle. Despite her fervent desire to fight against oppression, what was amplified was her underarm hair and her personal choices, pushing her call for reform and women empowerment into the background.
That viral video took social media by storm, sparking an uproar louder than any protest held the same day. Many were quick to applaud her bravery and comfort in her own skin; however, plenty of comments went beyond vicious. Some criticized her “lack of hygiene”, urging her to shave, while others insisted she should have worn a T-shirt to cover her underarms.
But beneath the backlash lies a woman whose story extends far beyond her body hair. Nathalie is not merely a face frozen in an unwanted viral frame—she is a student, artist, and a devoted advocate for marginalized communities.
Nathalie Geralde, fondly referred to as “Nath” by friends and relatives, is a 21-year-old Sociology major at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Juggling her studies with a part-time job as a barista at her neighborhood cafe did not stop her from joining protests and creating spaces for dialogue on social issues such as corruption and gender. She is also an artist, using her work to spotlight the struggles of the Filipino masses, further amplified by Sining Lila, an organization focused on women’s rights.
This strong background, paired with her inextinguishable inner flame, gave her the courage to speak up amidst the online hate she received over something as trivial as body hair. For her, this fight is against oppression, not against hair. It shows that this is not merely about personal grooming, but a stand against systemic and social oppression—one that manifests in many ways. One persistent form is the unrealistic expectations imposed on women’s bodies.
Why does a woman’s body hair provoke such outrage—more than other systemic problems in the country? This question opens the door to the myths and misconceptions that continue to police women’s bodies.
Myth #1: Body hair is dirty and unkempt for women
“Hygiene is the problem, not beauty.”
Netizens were quick to label Nathalie ‘unhygienic’, arguing she should have at least shaved before attending the Trillion Peso March. For generations, our culture has portrayed body hair in women as dirty and unkempt, often associating it with odor and bacteria—despite science telling us otherwise.
According to Dr. Bea Chan, medical director of the Skin B Clinic in an interview with GMA News, the presence of armpit hair is totally normal and can even reduce risks of irritation from underarm products like deodorants. While hair can trap sweat and bacteria, it does not automatically cause body odor. Dr. Kaycee Reyes, founder and CEO of Luminisce, explains that underarm hair does not significantly increase odor.
Science tells us hair isn’t dirty—our culture just taught us to think it is. Yet the outrage Nathalie received suggests that the debate isn’t really about hygiene. It stems from a deeply ingrained expectation that women must be smooth, spotless, and hair-free.
Myth #2: Women are “naturally” hairless—or should be
For over a century, advertising, cinema, and magazines have sold one image of femininity: flawless skin untouched by hair.
What this narrative erases is the fact that body hair exists for a reason. It serves as an insulating layer, helping our body manage temperatures. It is also believed that it helps reduce friction from movement. Hair in our body is not a biological flaw—it is functional.
CNN Style reports that hairlessness wasn’t established as a mandate for women until the early 20th century. One of the campaigns that shifted people’s views on women’s body hair was Gillette's advertisement in 1915 which urged women to remove “unsightly” hair from their bodies. Over time, hairlessness became equated as the only ‘natural’ and clean way to present the body — except it clearly isn’t.
This myth survives not only because it is culturally accepted, but also because it sells. There are entire industries built around monetizing from the removal of body hair. From razors to depilatory creams — including pain-free options for hair removal — these industries profit from convincing people that natural hair is flawed and needs fixing. Advertisements promise confidence in the form of silky smooth skin, becoming a profitable market, with women as the primary consumers.
Built on these commercial pressures, these expectations, among others, are what Nathalie calls impossible standards that continue to cage women. The moment she stepped on stage was also the moment society ridiculed her for not conforming to norms created to commodify women’s bodies. Her advocacy, rooted in justice and solidarity, was overshadowed by debates about her underarms — revealing a more insidious belief that has lingered for more than a century.
Myth #3: Body hair makes women “less competent”, “less respectable”, or “less serious”
Society’s unspoken rule is simple: a woman can be accomplished, articulate, even brilliant—but a single strand of body hair can diminish perceptions of her competence. Women are often labeled “lazy” or “undisciplined,” as if a thread of fine hair easily erases achievements.
Despite Nathalie’s courage to stand alongside students and laborers to fight corruption, her call for accountability was reduced into a public discourse fixated on her body. Her advocacy was invalidated; her refusal to conform led to ridicule, muting her voice, and discrediting her.
The scrutiny Nathalie received is not unique; it is part of a historical pattern. Across generations, women who let their bodies exist beyond razor’s edge have been discredited. Yet history, pop culture, and public life continue to betray this logic.
Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts’ unshaved underarm at Notting Hill premiere in 1999 did not stop her from winning multiple awards. Harnaam Kaur, a social media personality and motivational speaker, has built her platform on body positivity despite countless backlash. Miley Cyrus’ visible body hair during the 2015 amfAR Gala did not hinder her performance.
These women—like Nathalie—remind us that brilliance does not negotiate with appearance. Their victories expose hypocrisy: society may mock the body, but it cannot erase merit.
Women’s choices regarding their bodies continue to be influenced by societal expectations that favor certain beauty standards. The backlash Nathalie faced proved her point: obsession over her body mirrored the very oppression she hopes to undo. In the noise of her underarms, the real issue—systemic failure—was conveniently drowned out. Yet this is why her story matters: it exposes how women’s bodies are weaponized to distract from conversations that threaten comfort or power.
Despite having her bubble burst after seeing the hate directed at her, Nathalie chose to empower women—staying true to her advocacy. In an interview with Preview, she encouraged girls with similar experiences to influence and inspire others, choose themselves, and to love their bodies for what it is. For her, “loving our bodies is already a form of protest.”
If the uproar surrounding her body revealed anything, it is that the revolution she carries does not merely reside in her voice, but in her existence. For those who mirror her courage, each unshaved hair becomes a small act of defiance—and with each unruly strand, an uprising quietly takes root.
Written by Gweneth Pablo, Insight PH
Gweneth Pablo, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
