A teacher from Denmark, at the age of 31, is boldly challenging societal expectations by refusing to remove her facial hair. Eldina Jaganjac, who teaches in Copenhagen, expresses her discontent with the persistent demand from society, especially from men, for women to adhere to traditional beauty standards by engaging in practices like eyebrow tweezing and mustache waxing.

In March 2020, Eldina made a decision that she would stop shaving her mustache, believing that her femininity is not diminished by her facial hair. Her choice to embrace her natural appearance has led her to feel liberated from concerns about her looks. She mentioned how men often seemed shocked by her appearance, suggesting she might as well have a ‘third head’ due to her untraditional look. To Eldina, her facial hair acts as a filter, distancing her from people whom she prefers not to associate with.

Moreover, Eldina finds that her monobrow and facial hair often ward off more ‘conservative’ potential partners, attracting those who value her more for her personality than her physical appearance.

Eldina shared her past experiences, ‘Before embracing my natural brow, I thought women had limited choices in their appearance. If a man chooses not to shave, it barely garners any attention—it’s seen as normal,’ she explained to Unilad.

She reflected on her own rigorous self-discipline concerning her appearance. ‘I used to not even leave the house if my eyebrows weren’t perfectly groomed, or skip going to the gym if I hadn’t shaved my legs,’ she confessed.

Today, Eldina prioritizes her responsibilities and ambitions over her appearance. ‘Now, I focus less on how I look while doing things. Meeting others’ aesthetics standards is not my concern, nor does it hinder my pursuits,’ she concluded.