Bras cause shortness of breath but women still wear them anyway.

Bra: /brä/noun: an undergarment worn by women for societal reasons.

I am a woman who has gone braless since a young age. My drawer never had more than two bras, taking into consideration that there has always been an unused one.

It has been more than five months since I’ve used any of them­—I even think I lost them. I basically unchained myself from the constraints of the “have-to’s” of wearing a bra.

Before digging in the details, I’d like to highlight the fact that some women can’t go braless, as they are large-breasted. Therefore, not wearing a bra can be pretty painful for them and may cause serious backache,F” if their breasts are not supported.

Another reason to wear a bra could be any heavy activity that causes the breasts to bounce. Therefore wearing a bra will definitely keep them in place, avoiding pain.

Now, let’s move aside the physical reasons and bring to the table the psychological ones.

I’m basically speaking of women who “psychologically” don’t feel comfortable going braless and the sad part is, that they have small to medium breasts, which is in their favor, if they decide to let go of bras.

1. Society.

Society makes us believe that wearing a bra will give women a cleaner look. Not only will she look decent, but she will also have a good reputation.

We live in a society where mothers drive young girls directly to the lingerie store, once they start growing breasts. The first thought that we are raised on is that breasts are a “dirty” part of the body and undergarments must hide them.

Most of the cultures today consider the woman’s exposed nipples as wrong, sexual and nude. This is due to objectifying breasts and turning them into a “forbidden/exposed” part.

But tribal cultures don’t see this problem. If you have ever watched a documentary of people living in such cultures, you can see the woman completely topless among hundreds of men. And the fascinating part is that none of them stare or look.

The problem with society today, is that people are becoming less concerned about what they like to do and more concerned with what they should do.

I daily ask myself this question: Why on earth would I subject myself to tightness and discomfort in my chest area, for the sake of other people? And every time I come up with the same answer: I simply don’t have to!

My comfort comes first, people second.

2. Hide erect nipples.

We all know that nipples are a sensitive part of the body, in both men and women. They can be stimulated by many factors, mostly by touch or cold. Basically they are part of the skin; just like we can easily get goose bumps, we can easily get erect nipples.

Many women wear bras as they feel embarrassed when getting erect nipples in public—the sad part is that most people regard erect nipples as sexual arousal and totally disregard the factor of cold.

Why is it okay for men to have erect nipples? As far as I know, both sexes have breasts and nipples. I don’t understand why women are solely given a hard time.

3. Prevent breasts from sagging.

Okay. Some women have gone to extreme lengths, wearing a bra while they are sleeping. I feel shortness of breath just thinking about it!

I have personally asked many women, why they would let themselves feel uncomfortable with a bra if they’re sleeping. They all said that they constantly wear bras to prevent their breasts from sagging.

Women, I researched this long and hard—I even asked a doctor—and no, bras do not prevent your breasts from sagging; it’s a process that will happen sooner or later. This is a large myth and bras have no medical necessity whatsoever.

Breast ptosis (sagging) is caused by many factors like pregnancy history, weight changes and aging. It’s simply part of the process of growing old—wearing a bra will not stop it.

4. Because everybody else is doing it.

We tend to do stuff we don’t really understand—we don’t even question it—and the reason is because everybody else is doing it.

The only way to break free from this loop is to stop and question. If all women are wearing bras, it doesn’t necessarily mean that wearing one is the right way or it’s what you should do.

Wearing a bra, most likely, bothers many women but they’re simply not questioning it. As a result, they keep on wearing it and nag about the red marks the bra is leaving on their skin.

5. Bras make women feel sexy.

I give a perfect 10 to the lingerie industry when it comes to this. Since they make us believe that we will look hotter in a bra, they have been able to make billions of dollars.

It’s sad to see women buying a brand new bra before going on a date, taking into consideration that there is a high probability that their date won’t even see that bra. They just buy it because “psychologically” they will feel hotter.

Movies make us believe that a huge part of the sexual experience is that moment when the man takes the woman’s bra off. Even when we fantasize, we imagine the instant when your man is unhooking your bra.

Why not start to fantasize—and actually make it real—about that moment where your man takes your shirt off and tada! The breasts are there without any garment. Plus, your man will either fight with your bra or brag about it, if he unhooked it really fast. (He will give you that strange sexy look with a wink that says: “yeah, I unhooked a lot of bras before; I’m experienced!”).

Well, save him and yourself the trouble and don’t wear a bra in the first place. Sexiness isn’t about the lingerie you wear; it’s about your attitude!

6. Ashamed of the size.

The bra successfully helps women to get over the feeling of shame, when it comes to the size of their breasts. If the breasts were too small, she would fill the cups with whatever it requires to make them look bigger, and if they’re large, she simply gets a minimizer bra.

The invention of minimizer bras and “double Capitonné” let women think there is a major problem with having small breasts or large breasts. Women have become unconfident about their bodies, especially about their breasts.

The bigger problem lies with women who have uneven breasts; which is normal. What women should know is that all of us have asymmetrical breasts. Hormones and underlying medical causes can cause them to differ in size every single month.

Despite the psychological distress that this may cause, a woman should never be ashamed of her body’s parts. Her confidence will reflect self-respect.

7. Staring.

Fact: with or without hard nipples, people will stare at you when you’re not wearing a bra. People have this tendency to make braless women feel that they have never seen breasts before.

In order to prevent this uncomfortable staring, women wear bras. I’ve experienced this before and I have to admit, at a certain point, I would cover my free breasts with my long hair, when someone is passing by.

Now, whether a woman or a man stares at my chest when I’m braless (I’m always braless now), I simply keep on walking confidently. One thought that helps during this courageous process is, “I am comfortable and breathing.”

8. Fashion.

Bras have become a fashion icon in the world. Tops were specifically tailored for them and shopping for a bra that matches your outfit has become the most important thing, after breakfast.

Some women even think that wearing a sexy, fashionable bra is vital to grab a man’s attention. Well, good luck for those who believe this—there are many breasts in the world, but there aren’t too many brains left.

Is it really worth it to feel pain in our chest and shortness of breath, just for the sake of that colored line on our shoulders? I think not. Fashion doesn’t care about us. At the end of the day it’s an industry that only cares about its own revenues.

Women, to sum it all up, it’s your choice to wear a bra or not. If wearing one bothers you, simply take it off! At first, it might feel tough to deal with all the staring and the asking, but I promise, in no time you will be carefree.

I understand that most of the time social occasions or jobs require women to wear a bra. As I mentioned above, some women are large breasted and going in public braless is quite uncomfortable and painful for them.

Yet, if you choose to take that bra off forever, but are still feeling hesitant, I suggest you use alternatives that can help you at first. You can get adhesive cups and put them on your nipples or wear dark, thick shirts. You can also go creative and wear a shirt with pockets on the breasts!

Whatever the woman’s decision, she must remember that her comfort and health comes first.

Some studies even suggest that breast cancer might be related to bras, as their wires suppress the lymphatic system below the armpits, blocking an internal network of vessels supposed to flush toxic wastes from the body. Over time, these toxins accumulate in the breast tissue and creates an environment where cells can turn cancerous.

Be wise with your decision. Let’s set those breasts free!

references:

Grismaijer, S., & Singer, S.R. (1995), Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras.Garden City Park, New York:Avery Publishing Group.
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Relephant read:

Taking Off Your Bra Won’t Help End Cancer.

Author: Elyane Youssef

Editor: Ashleigh Hitchcock

Photo: gareth1953 at Flickr