Bras

[SideSet]

Blad, do you think you would have eventually tried on a bra even if you did not have so many others urging you to wear one?

[taxmapper]

Oh yes wearing a bra and pantyhose

This has brought me to wonder if the hormones running through our bodies and brains guide us to want to associate (even subconsciously) with being female. 

[blad]

Blad, do you think you would have eventually tried on a bra even if you did not have so many others urging you to wear one?

A good question.

Definitely the constant taunts that I needed to wear a bra played into creating the curiosity to actually try one. I did start to wonder if they had a point even though I did not appreciate the constant public comments that I should wear a bra.

I think I would have ultimately tried one anyway but the comments did create the interest in trying one when I did. 

If only they knew I did wear bras in response to their taunts. 

[SideSet]

And then you tried on a bra and it fit!  You filled the cups.  It felt good. The bra looked good on you.  You belonged in a bra as much as any girl in your class. 

[blad]

And then you tried on a bra and it fit!  You filled the cups.  It felt good. The bra looked good on you.  You belonged in a bra as much as any girl in your class.

That was the conclusion I came to at the age of 13.

I went from full negative outlook about having grown boobs to actually enjoying them when I wore a bra. A confusing time at that age. I wanted to talk to other girls about bras and I covertly examined the outline of their bras to understand the different types and selections. 

[Evolver]

Oh yes wearing a bra and pantyhose

This has brought me to wonder if the hormones running through our bodies and brains guide us to want to associate (even subconsciously) with being female.

Is there a test available to determine the level of masculinity/femininity of people? - and I don't mean the binary gender determination made during pregnancy or at birth by physical identification!

Is there a sliding scale of masculinity/femininity in terms of T or E level and the relationship between them? Just imagine, the results of a specific test to confirm that a 'normal' man is hypothetically 100% male/0% female in characteristic based on normal T and E levels. Just imagine, for someone with a hormone imbalance, if your doctor or specialist could categorically say (for example) that their patient is displaying 70% male/30% female characteristics based on hormone levels. Maybe some of us here are 90/10, maybe some of us here are 10/90 - despite appendages!

If the actual ratio is known, I am theorising that it would be easier to live with and to make allowances for. Those amongst us that have taken to women's tops and pants for comfort and fit would still feel odd, I would imagine, if it was determined that their gender characteristic level was still actually 100% male. But if it was determined that they display a significant portion of female characteristics, it is totally understandable that it would feel normal for them to wear what is marketed as women's clothes.

To answer taxmapper's question, I would say yes.

[Busty]

Like the boys in my junior high class, I always checked out the girls’ busts, but unlike a boy, and like Blad, I was checking out their bras. What types and styles and how they worked for them and comparing their busts to mine and thinking how different types and styles of bras might work for me. 

[aboywithgirls]

I work in an all female staffed medical office, a breast care center. The culture there is constantly discussing breasts and bras. It's routine for any of us to to ask any of us what we're wearing under our tops and what we like or don't like about it. I worked in a cardiology office before for the same medical system and we never talked about those things. I am perfectly comfortable having these conversations. There are a couple of ladies who are well endowed like me and bras seem to dominate most of our conversations in the break room.

[42CSurprise!]

This has brought me to wonder if the hormones running through our bodies and brains guide us to want to associate (even subconsciously) with being female.

I don't think any of us has a choice when it comes to how gender is expressed in our bodies.  Many of the men here, myself included, carried weight in our chests from adolescence with more or less defined breasts.  It is well understood we all go through hormonal changes in puberty.  Doctors sometimes reassured our parents that we would grow out of our breast development.  I guess some guys do, but certainly not the men who come here.  So we began as more feminized men.  Add to this group men who've taken medicine that has diminished testosterone and given estrogen an opportunity to have its say in our bodies.

I visited my doctor this week and broached the topic of taking testosterone.  I told him of my diminished libido and growing breasts.  He cautioned me against it.  I am, after all, an old men with a feminized body.  I would say  the men here who are talking about breasts and brassieres fall naturally on the more feminine side of gender.  I don't think that is a bad thing given the challenges everyone faces toward the end of life.  Hopefully, we will develop a healthy relationship with our emotions, something women do quite easily.  The traditional image is of men in a semi-circle looking at a television and only occasionally talking with one another.  Women, on the other hand are in a circle talking with one another.  I'd like to believe my capacity for empathy has grown along with these breasts on my chest.  That's not a bad thing.

So I have breasts and I wear brassieres.  In fact, I'm enjoying my breasts... perhaps remembering how fascinated I was by the breasts of girls when I was growing up.  I have my own now?  What a bizarre world in which we live!  

[blad]

There are two basic approaches to living with and accepting our breasts;

   Philosophizing about our feelings and interaction with others about our breasts and the use of bras etc.

   Just matter of fact wearing a bra if we find we feel more comfortable in one and go on with life. 

There is no one correct approach and it depends on a persons personality. 

[MychalBloodwing]

There are two basic approaches to living with and accepting our breasts;

  Philosophizing about our feelings and interaction with others about our breasts and the use of bras etc.

  Just matter of fact wearing a bra if we find we feel more comfortable in one and go on with life.

There is no one correct approach and it depends on a persons personality.

Well said, blad!

[Busted (and happy)]

Here, here blad
It is either adapt and get on with it or let it  screw you
psychologically and ruin life

[Willimuth]

I'm new here, so forgive me, I'm a long time bra wearer. I'm from the school of having a firm lift with my bra, don't like the feeling of sagging, but I know that brings negatives as far as going out in public. Can anyone speak to that?

[Johndoe1]

For me it is about comfort. I sag as well and I would rather not have that weight pulling on my chest. So I have to have lift for comfort. It used to bother me, but of late, the feeling of having my breasts lifted and contained for comfort is more important to me than the possible appearance of lifted breasts. In my experience, most people don't even notice as long as I am not wearing tops that draw attention to my chest. I just don't pay any attention to my chest and most people don't either.

[Traveler]

I’m with JohnDoe. Comfort and control now outweigh perceived projection. No one seems to care, though I’ve had some people notice, I’ve had no comments.