to shave or not to shave?

So I've been contemplating shaving for some time. Actually it came up last week in a conversation with my sister, and we were comparing our legs - and the amount of hair growth and dark hair and light hair, and well I finally got around to looking it up. You see I've been curious as to where, when, how shaving legs came into being...

I used www.wikipedia.com so I can't exactly claim that as a completely accurate source, however this is basically what it had to say: it became a culture norm for women to shave in the early 20th Century when women started to wear shorter hem lines, and therefore their leg was exposed. Others argue it was a marketing tool, and razor companies merely wanted the opportunity to pool in more money.

Others maintain that shaving is a form of Sexual dimorphism: "systematic difference in form between individuals of different sex in the same species" (www.wikipedia.com). Basically saying that shaving is a way to further demonstrate the difference between males and females, and therefore the removal of leg hair is a physical sign of being a woman. But what about athletes who shave? Or guys who like a clean shaven leg? Are they no longer a man because they've shaved?

Still the question remains why? Who first looked at the hair on a woman's leg, and went "yuck...shave that???" Did it come from the ancients? The traditions of the gods? Was it hygiene reasons?

I am still curious, the case of to shave or not to shave has not been closed just yet...I will continue in my quest...

Any of you know???