‘I feel sexier than ever after ditching the razor and embracing my beard’

Meet Dakota, generally known as the bearded woman (Image: Mercury Press)

The second Dakota Cooke, now 30, hit puberty, she observed plenty of hair progress on her face.

Quickly sufficient, she was dedicated to having weekly waxing appointments and shaving their face twice a day in an effort to look extra female.

Dakota spent years feeling judged and insecure about her hair progress, and fell right into a decade of hysteria and low shallowness.

Regardless of going for a number of exams, it’s unclear what prompted Dakota’s facial hair, however docs consider it to be one thing to do along with her adrenal glands producing elevated ranges of testosterone.

The circus performer stated: ‘After I hit puberty at 13, I suppose I acquired hit with a little bit bit additional.

‘It began out with peach fuzz on my face that began to get longer and darkish.

Dakota spent years hating the way in which she regarded and doing every little thing she may to take away her facial hair (Image: Mercury Press)

‘A pal of the household pointed it out on the time, so my step dad took me to the docs to do exams, after which took me to the hair salon the place I had my first ever wax.

‘It was tremendous uncomfortable, and on the time, I used to be nearly studying tips on how to shave my legs.

‘I grew up in a interval the place ladies with facial hair was so stigmatised that the ladies on the salon have been telling me how women aren’t speculated to develop facial hair.

‘I suppose that caught with me, as a result of for the following ten years, I sort of simply sunk into this disgrace spiral the place I’d try to conceal my face in pictures and be attending waxing periods each week.

‘It acquired to some extent, once I labored considered one of my first jobs in retail, that I used to be shaving my face twice a day, as soon as within the morning after which on my break as a result of the hairs have been simply so seen, and I used to be working within the make-up division the place it wasn’t acceptable to be something apart from a stereotypical girl.

‘I’d be masking the shaving scars and rash with make-up and my face would simply be so irritated and pink the entire time.

‘I’ve in all probability nonetheless acquired a few of these shaving scars to this present day.’

Every part modified in 2015, when Dakota was at a celebration with a pal, who instructed them about working within the circus.

In 2015, she determined to experiment with letting her beard develop in (Image: Mercury Press)

Dakota fell in love with the thought of being a bearded woman within the present, and so determined to ditch the razors and waxing and let her facial hair develop in.

‘That was actually the catalyst that started my journey to loving myself and my beard,’ she remembered.

‘Rising my beard out was fairly uncomfortable at first, it took lots of effort to not simply reduce and shave it off once more.

‘I keep in mind the primary time somebody tried to take an image of me after I’d had my first inch of progress, and I acquired loads of stares.

‘I had lots of anxiousness concerning the observing first, however it acquired to some extent the place I simply determined to not care anymore.’

Steadily, Dakota discovered to sit down with the discomfort and love the way in which she regarded.

She now does a circus act wherein she goes by Dakota the bearded woman, and performs feats corresponding to hammering nails into her nostril and strolling on glass.

Dakota now feels higher than ever (Image: Mercury Press)

All this has helped them to lastly embrace her look, beard and all.

‘My household and pals have been tremendous supportive all through my journey of self-acceptance and have even purchased me a “don’t f*** with the bearded woman” signal which I like,’ Dakota shared.

‘My followers on TikTok have additionally been wonderful, and I like answering their questions, in addition to receiving phrases of help.

‘I even acquired complimented by considered one of my absolute heroes John Waters, after I visited him at a ebook signing in full make-up, female apparel, and a full beard.

‘He instructed me that he beloved my look and that I wanted to do advert campaigns, that my face ought to be in every single place.

Although I'm non-binary, I nonetheless costume very female and like to put on make-up and clothes and skirts.

‘Having a beard has by no means affected me being a femme particular person, it’s simply part of me now, and I like that I’ve embraced it.’