Gynecomastia Acceptance Poll

[Parity]

Many years ago my wife told me I needed a bra more than she did. I had already known that having tried bras for years on my own and finding them improved my comfort with the support and containment.

But that opened the door to wearing daily without hiding it and that was refreshing.

  I think it's great so many of you have the the support of your wife.  For me I never hear approval as I am alone now and no one knows I wear one.  Perhaps that's my answer.  No one knows!  I would like for someone to notice and just say, you look fine.  In all fairness to myself I really don't need to hear it.  I have validation from friends here.  We're all in the same boat rowing against the same tide. 

  I just look in the mirror and go on with it.

[Johndoe1]

Parity, your bust looks wonderful! No lie. 

And there's nothing wrong being told that nor wanting a positive comment about our chests. We didn't ask for our chests and most have chests that any woman would be proud to have. We should be proud too. 

All breasts are beautiful. No matter the gender. 

[Parity]

Parity, your bust looks wonderful! No lie.

And there's nothing wrong being told that nor wanting a positive comment about our chests. We didn't ask for our chests and most have chests that any woman would be proud to have. We should be proud too.

All breasts are beautiful. No matter the gender.

JD1, Thank you for that.  

  I have times, when I feel I'm continuing to grow, that my mind spins into the childhood loop of body shaming that was heaped on me.  Not hearing words of affirmations from time to time doesn't allow me to reframe other thoughts into afformations.   I appreciate you're kind words, positive posts and uplifting comments. 

[42CSurprise!]

...JD1, Thank you for that. 

  I have times, when I feel I'm continuing to grow, that my mind spins into the childhood loop of body shaming that was heaped on me.  Not hearing words of affirmations from time to time doesn't allow me to reframe other thoughts into afformations.  I appreciate you're kind words, positive posts and uplifting comments.

Doubtless, this side of this website has been a gift to all of us coming to terms with breasts developing on our chest.  Yes, many began the journey as adolescents, while many found development happening later in life.  I posted a thread quite some time ago about the various responses we may have and certainly shame is an early one most of us experienced.  Being here and talking about our reality has been a very powerful release.  I guess breasts have such significance in our culture that our response would be great when they begin developing.  But in reality, the same can be said about our whole body.  Yes, we're given models for what a woman or man should look like.  We see them in magazines and television ads.  But few of us fit the "standard."  I've always had a soft body.  I'm not very tall.  I have broad shoulders but have always had a wide waist and hips.  Can I accept who I am, all of me?  These are the bodies that carry us through life.  We would do well to treat our bodies well.  Self-acceptance really is a good place to stand whether we're talking about our breasts or our bodies.  I'm glad you're experiencing some of that Parity.

With regard to the "poll" none of the three responses work for me at the moment.  I am certainly enjoying having the breasts filling the cups of my unlined, underwire brassiere but I won't call them a blessing.  They are simply part of who I am at this time in my life.  This afternoon I had an appointment with an acupuncturist to help me with a cold I've been experiencing.  She did her needles and moxibustion.  Then she did something she'd never done before.  She held a piece of cloth and began brushing it across my shoulders and chest.  Needless to say she was rubbing it across my breasts.  At first I felt myself tensing, then gradually relaxed.  It was what it was.  I made a comment later about my breast growth and mentioned the changes in my hormones that have come with aging. That was the end of the conversation and this older woman only said, young people are exploring gender in a new way.  Yesterday I spoke with a woman friend and as we spoke of how well we knew one another I noted she knows I occasionally wear a brassiere.  She actually saw me in a brassiere a couple of years ago.  No problem at all.  I'm grateful for that.  I have breasts.  I like my breasts.  I don't wear a brassiere all the time but I very much enjoy wearing one when I do.  I'm happy there are men with whom I can talk about such things.  We may each be on our own journey but we share the fact having breasts is part of that journey.