The great shave debate

By trade I am a nurse and during the midnight shift that I work there are many topics that are up for discussion with my fellow coworkers.  I find the importance of disclaiming that 1. Most of my coworkers are female nurses who don't find any subjects about the body offensive or alarming and 2. Midnight conversations are much different than conversations than I'd likely have during the day, even with my female coworkers.
I feel like there is a generational gap here in regards to shaving lady parts.  In my midnight conversations with my friends and coworkers I have discovered that women of a certain age have made a vast error in judgement and it is leading the rest if us into impossible standards.  Let me explain what I am talking about...I bought a groupon for a Brazilian wax.  I surveyed my friends/coworkers hair preferences in the nether regions and I found an overwhelming response from women under the age of 35 that shaving it all off was a complete norm for them.  I couldn't believe it.   Some even stated that this head gone all the way back since 8th grade.  8th grade?  Are you even kidding me?  Needless to say, I was flabbergasted and maybe a little appalled.  Why did this even cross your mind at 13?  At 13, I think I was still using my flicker razor  my mom bought for me shave my legs with.  At 13, I was experimenting with blue eye shadow and wondering if I was too old for the stuffed animals on my bed.  Having hair "down there" was completely normal.
At what point in time did having hair become so gross to girls younger than me?  The reactions from the ladies are varied depending on the age group.  I think they imagine that I have wild untamed jungle down there and I tease them about it to get them going.  I joke about being able to braid it and it usually gets them laughing and even possibly contemplating if it is true.
My thought though about the process is when did this become the norm?  And additionally how did this phenomenon become the standard as to which other women compare to?  I find the whole idea ludicrous.  Hair is normal, it must be there for a reason right?
I find the whole bald eagle trend to be a little weird.  Don't women want to look like women?  I would much rather forget the awkwardness of my prepubescent years.  Do you remember when you first started get to hair "down there", it was a right of passage.  Now women, or shall I say young ladies want to shave it all off and remember their  12 year old selves. I just don't get it.  Maybe I am just an old lady now, lol.