Cutting edge

[Orb]

  A lot has been said today.  I just wanted to make a point and allow space for comment.
We, by nature, are, and are at the front lines and cutting edge of cultural change.  Look at where society is, was 50 years ago and also was 100 years ago.  Nothing said regarding gender norms.  Black and white. 
  No change happens without forward thinking individuals and the willingness of them  to be willing to help make that change.  We all agree we aren't abnormal.  We fit into a different box.  One most of society wishes to ignore.  Doesn't make them right.
  Chin up for me.  Easy? No, but not throwing in the towel yet!

[Busted (and happy)]

We need to communicate and educate rather than hide for our own sanity's sake and the future generations of men who are normal but don't fit within the narrow band of chest /breast size that is acceptable to society at present.
If we don't the one sure thing is that nothing will change.
One national store here in UK regularly deletes my bra reviews when I openly state that I am male. Odd and annoying when they will offer fitting and do not hesitate to take my cash!
To their credit they always reinstate them when I inform them about gynecomastia and the need for men to have guidance from men when considering bra purchase.

Just my little bit to inform society
What are others doing?
This is the acceptance part of the forum. Personally I didn't feel I had reached acceptance until I stopped obsessively trying to hide/disguise what nature had thrown at me

[Johndoe1]

I too have thought for many years we are the tip of the spear when it comes to what is normal and what is considered normal. And I too have taken the road of education when possible and it's a small chip, but it seems to be working. In my online travels, it's really amazing how many women have never heard of gynecomastia or that it is even possible for a man to have something more than "man boobs", natural, female type breasts. I have been called a perv on several occasions by women who didn't believe it was possible, but I have also had many women who have treated me with respect over my chest. In my off line world, very few people know and of the literal handful are all women, and have been very caring and helpful and have said things about their breasts they would never tell men. They are usually amused that I have similar experiences to them. The younger generations seem to accept much easier than the older generations. They may look but it doesn't phase them. They really don't care.

Because of my size, hiding is really hard and I can not appear flat chested no matter what I do and I have basically stopped trying to hide, but minimize or appear more low key not drawing attention. If you look at my chest, you will see two orbs, whether I am in a bra or not and I think, as several others who know think, I present better in a bra than when I don't, even though I present male. We males have this tendency to think women show their boobs off all the time. The reality is they don't. There are certainly times when they do, but if you carefully look, many women dress their chests modestly and depending on their size, you may not even be able to discern what shape or how large they are other than two bumps. That's the look I try to emulate and it seems to work for me.

[Orb]

Johndoe your exactly right.

  Not everyone is capable of learning about things other than what is in their orbit.  I cant lie its hard to have to explain to people.  The body, in both sexes has testosterone and E.  One is dominate. 
I was with some friends last weekend.  One had a Rum and Coke.  Was it "Rum' or was it "Coke"?  looking at the ingredients labels the one with the most or is higher on the label the higher the content in the mixture in relationship with the others.  Add a little more rum and coke is still the dominate ingredient.  It did however change the outcome of the drink.  For better or for worse, however you look at it.  For some men the mixture is just a little off the norm.  Perhaps we got an extra jigger of E.

[Guywithgirls]

Johndoe your exactly right.

  Not everyone is capable of learning about things other than what is in their orbit.  I cant lie its hard to have to explain to people.  The body, in both sexes has testosterone and E.  One is dominate. 
I was with some friends last weekend.  One had a Rum and Coke.  Was it "Rum' or was it "Coke"?  looking at the ingredients labels the one with the most or is higher on the label the higher the content in the mixture in relationship with the others.  Add a little more rum and coke is still the dominate ingredient.  It did however change the outcome of the drink.  For better or for worse, however you look at it.  For some men the mixture is just a little off the norm.  Perhaps we got an extra jigger of E.

Love the way you put this into perspective Orb!

[aboywithgirls]

That is a great analogy! To add to that, there are the " normal" people out there that have the "normal" blend from birth to death. There are some that from the time they are born are almost no rum and all coke or the other way around. Sometimes it shows up at puberty, in your 30's or 60s.

The good news is that there are multiple options nowadays. There are even multiple bras to deal with them depending on your preference.

As for myself I could tell that my drink had almost no "rum" at all and was pretty much "coke" and ice. The thing is, they're just boobs. I have annual mammograms and ultrasounds because I have dense breast tissue and my family history. They are normal, healthy breasts. I also do self examinations and I wear a bra every day. 

No matter how your particular drink was mixed, you can't order a new one but you can figure out how you can enjoy the one that you were served.

[Confused old man]

Some interesting comments. I was the super macho man, hard working conservative male. And a man with boobs!..fruit cake!..nut job!..but now with a huge loss of testosterone and estrogen taking over. I understand now. I have boobs. The emotional part ripped me apart. I have learned to accept it now with the help of my doctor and huge support from my wife. So I really understand why people don’t accept things until it happens to them. Now I am one of the educators when it comes to this. I hope I can educate people. But I doubt it. Not many understand until it happens to them. All I can do is hope people in general become more and more empathetic towards others

[Johndoe1]

That is all any of us can do.

[Orb]

That's the hard part. The how and who to educate.  Remember the old joke, how many blonds does it take to change a light bulb?  One, but the light bulb has to want to change.
  Not trying to be in poor taste, I was blond my whole life, rather we all learn to gauge who is willing to listen, learn, open their minds and change.  As in all areas of life, not every one is going to like my choices.  I bought a new truck and many say why did you get that color?  I would have gotten that other one.  We're all different!

[Johndoe1]

As a generalization, I have found women to be more willing to listen and be educated than men. Now that's not to say ALL women will listen because I have come across a few who won't accept the fact that ANY man could develop natural breasts. I did tell my physical trainer, who is a man, while he understood, I was not his first gynecomastic client, you could tell he didn't quite get the connection like women do even though he could plainly see my chests effects on my tee shirt.

You must always proceed in a cautious manner with this subject no matter who it is. You have to know your prospective audience. And isn't always possible. Words from experience.

[42CSurprise!]

I've made the observation before and posted a link to an article on the subject, but it appears the many chemicals we ingest and encounter in life are having an impact on our bodies.  As noted above, when testosterone diminishes estrogen has its way with us.  That can happen because of drugs we've been given to treat other issues, from aging or possibly from toxins.  So yes, we could be at the cutting edge.  Many of us have been dealing with fleshy chests since puberty, and it hasn't always been fun.  Finding acceptance for the simple fact our body's hormones yielded this result is important.  But it is tricky simply because in a world where men are defending masculinity, breasts are the last thing they will entertain.  We know this website is owned by doctors who will happily remove the problem, though they can't guarantee the outcome... so we have men here who want those bumps removed and those who don't wish to disfigure their bodies while emptying their bank account with an outcome that we may not be happy with.  So we do our best to simply be who we are, living with the breasts we have... and finding nice brassieres that fit our bodies.  This is a strange world... but it is the one we inhabit.

[Orb]

Exactly 42C Surprise.
There are so many external forces playing with our chemical makeup.  I try to watch what is ingested but many times its out of our control.  Chemicals & medications do alter us.