Meet Shyja, the Kerala woman who loves her moustache

By Vipin Vijayan | First Published Aug 3, 2022, 3:31 PM IST

Thirty-five-year-old Shyja and her moustache have been breaking conventional gender stereotypes. Ignoring critics, she says, "I don't care. I love these moustaches and am proud of them."

A woman in Kerala is making headlines for a weird reason. But Shyja dismisses any weirdness in the thin growth of hair over the upper lip. The 35-year-old from the Kannur district of Kerala sports a thin moustache and is proud of it.

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Like many women, Shyja already had light hair on her face. She used to go to the beauty parlour and get her eyebrows threaded. But she never thought of removing the hair in the upper lip area. It eventually gradually grew into a moustache. She has been taking care of it for five years now and is proud of it.

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Responding to all those who make fun of her because of her moustache, Shyja shared a photo on her WhatsApp status. Flaunting the moustache, she wrote on the status message, 'I love my moustache. I can't even think of removing it.'

Facial hair is generally seen as undesirable among women. Hair removal products are a multi-billion dollar industry, with creams, wax strips, razors and epilators being some of the choices available for women. However, in recent years, many women have been choosing to go against the norm. They have accepted and felt proud of their facial hair. In 2016, body positivity campaigner Harnam Kaur became the world's youngest woman with a full beard.

Shyja has undergone several surgeries due to health issues. But never did she think of removing the moustache. And there are those who support her as well. One user said people should do what makes them happy. Another user said that the decision to have a moustache or not is personal. Yet another user said Shyja looked very beautiful.

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