Gynecomstia Acceptance Poll

[42CSurprise!]

I responded to this on the Acceptance side of the website so won't cover that territory again.  I'd rather focus on the larger issue of how painful it is to be different, regardless of the thing that makes us different.  Adolescence is the time we're learning how to relate to our peer group as we come to terms with who we are.  Fitting in is important and kids can be incredibly picky and cruel. Funny, I occasionally visit a local grocery store that has a food court with amazingly good hot and cold food available.  I sometimes visit when kids from a nearby high school are there.  At this particular school there appears to be a thing about boys bleaching their hair which is cut fairly short.  The first time I saw ten or fifteen teens hanging around a table outside I was shocked.  That was last Spring.  I saw a similar group last week while having lunch with a friend.  Whatever that is about, the price of entry to that group is to bleach your hair.  All the teens were slender typical boys.  Those of us with soft bodies and fleshy chests were never going to be accepted by a crew like that.

But it could be anything that would separate us.  We could have brown skin. We could be nerds who really have no interest or social skills to engage.  You'd see us at tables on the periphery of the cafeteria.  Having a soft chest, or even what appear to be breasts insures we'll be ostracized and probably demeaned.  But the same can happen for many reasons.  In every situation, our first task is to stop shaming ourselves.  I really appreciate the fact we have the opportunity here to release the shame and begin simply accepting the reality of who we are.  The bodies and capabilities we've been given are in fact a gift.  I have a plaque on my refrigerator with a quote from Oscar Wilde that says "Be yourself.  Everyone else is taken."  How we do that is really up to us.  Clearly many men who spend time here have taken the reality of having breasts to buy brassieres that present our breasts in the way that suits us.  Personally, I'm rather delighted in how my breasts look and feel in my favorite brassiere.  I certainly don't flaunt them and often go without a brassiere if I'm in a social situation.  I dress conservatively and I doubt there are any folks in my life who notice my chest.  But in the same way it is nice to have a place where I have support for acceptance, the same men are will to share photos of their latest bra purchase and I can share photos of my voluptuous breasts.  We may be weird to most of the world, but we share our reality with men who understand.  Wonderful!  Being different is challenging.  Being accepted is a relief.