A bone to pick with bras
I'll begin this with a partial list of rants about bras that Stephanie Pearl-McPhee started. Only partial because I think most women have about thirty personal rants about the garment. (Feel free to add to the list in the comments.)
Rant 1: Why aren't womens bodies good enough without modification or alteration? [Note: Rant 1 leads directly to Rant 1a: How come women have to shave stuff and wear lipstick to be acceptable, but men are fine the way they are? and as such it is best to avoid triggering Rant 1 unless you have time for a two-fer.]
Rant 2: Doesn't pretending that breasts look or are located differently than they actually are just set us all up to think our breasts are crappy?
Rant 3: For something that everyone seems to agree all women should wear, they are pretty expensive. Seems like a trick.
Rant 4: I was an IBCLC for 10 years. Breasts come in more variety than bras do. Also seems like a trick.
Rant 5: How come bras are all designed to give you the breasts of a pre-pregnancy 21 year old? My breasts are working class, thank you very much, and have seen tons of action. Stack that up against your inexperienced breasts.
Rant 6: I think that insisting that I pretend my breasts are 21 forever implies that there's something wrong with women aging. Is that what you're trying to say? Is it? Eh??
(I would like to take this moment to politely disagree with rant 1a, and I think if you take a quick look at the penis-enlargement ads in your spam box, you'll see why.)
While I admit that there are times when wearing a bra is necessary (like exercising), I really hate them. I don't think I have ever stated this publicly.
I hate bras. The fact that I have very large breasts, and that the fashion industry has crazy ideas about where my bust line should be, means that I am screwed. Large breasts mean that my bras are going to wear out very quickly. If I am very unlucky, one of the wires in not one but two of my bras will pop out within a month of being purchased, including that really pretty one that fit great and was perfect for my bridesmaid dress... but that's only if I am very unlucky. Hold me.
There's also the fact that when women do not wear bras, people tend to stare. If I didn't wear a bra, people would really stare. Saying "I'm up here," is only clever the first five or so times. On the other hand, people stare because it's uncommon. If more women went braless, eventually no one would stare. Hrm.
...
PS- I found the camera. It was right in front of me on my desk.
PPS- If someone you love is a knitter, consider these. Aw yeah.
Rant 1: Why aren't womens bodies good enough without modification or alteration? [Note: Rant 1 leads directly to Rant 1a: How come women have to shave stuff and wear lipstick to be acceptable, but men are fine the way they are? and as such it is best to avoid triggering Rant 1 unless you have time for a two-fer.]
Rant 2: Doesn't pretending that breasts look or are located differently than they actually are just set us all up to think our breasts are crappy?
Rant 3: For something that everyone seems to agree all women should wear, they are pretty expensive. Seems like a trick.
Rant 4: I was an IBCLC for 10 years. Breasts come in more variety than bras do. Also seems like a trick.
Rant 5: How come bras are all designed to give you the breasts of a pre-pregnancy 21 year old? My breasts are working class, thank you very much, and have seen tons of action. Stack that up against your inexperienced breasts.
Rant 6: I think that insisting that I pretend my breasts are 21 forever implies that there's something wrong with women aging. Is that what you're trying to say? Is it? Eh??
(I would like to take this moment to politely disagree with rant 1a, and I think if you take a quick look at the penis-enlargement ads in your spam box, you'll see why.)
While I admit that there are times when wearing a bra is necessary (like exercising), I really hate them. I don't think I have ever stated this publicly.
I hate bras. The fact that I have very large breasts, and that the fashion industry has crazy ideas about where my bust line should be, means that I am screwed. Large breasts mean that my bras are going to wear out very quickly. If I am very unlucky, one of the wires in not one but two of my bras will pop out within a month of being purchased, including that really pretty one that fit great and was perfect for my bridesmaid dress... but that's only if I am very unlucky. Hold me.
There's also the fact that when women do not wear bras, people tend to stare. If I didn't wear a bra, people would really stare. Saying "I'm up here," is only clever the first five or so times. On the other hand, people stare because it's uncommon. If more women went braless, eventually no one would stare. Hrm.
...
PS- I found the camera. It was right in front of me on my desk.
PPS- If someone you love is a knitter, consider these. Aw yeah.