Hey, New York you stink! Why we all need to rediscover deodorant this summer like, right now
Something smells rotten in the state of New York.And if you’re roaming the streets during yet another heatwave without deodorant, or wearing its useless idiot brother, “natural” antiperspirant, it’s probably you.As the five boroughs turn into accidental hot yoga studios and Con Edison sends vaguely threatening texts about possible brownouts (helpful!), Gothamites aren’t just sweating the small stuff. We’re sweating all the damn time.Not that there’s anything wrong with that — despite summer’s annual Sephora-phobia around shiny foreheads and sticky hair.The Cleveland Clinic calls perspiration “the body’s natural cooling system,” helping us travel, sleep, and exercise without overheating.
Nobody should be ashamed of a little glisten.The big problem is when sweat comes with smells last produced by “Top Chef’s” losing dishes — after sitting in the trash bin for two days.When that unholy scent invades your subway car with the force of Sauron’s drooly trolls, we have more than a problem.We have a major violation of Big Apple etiquette.Thinking your body has the right to stink up public spaces literally reeks of entitlement.
Like manspreading across three F train seats during rush hour traffic or blocking a walk-up with your bike, smelling like a rotting rat does not make you a rank-and-file New Yorker — it just makes you rank.This isn’t merely some Larry David-level griping, although “Curb your B.O.” would be a pretty good name for a public health campaign.Hygiene is a personal health issue, but it can also affect the mental health of those around you.A 2022 study from Japanese scientists found that when people were exposed to foul body odors caused by environmental or social stress, they began feeling their own sense of doom and despair.Now imagine that sense magnified by the actual doom and despair of being crammed on a PATH train during rush hour, all while experiencing a true assault on your senses.Sure, some people have...