Are Bras Helping us or Hurting us?

Do bras make our boobs sag?

Are bras helping the shape of our breasts?

Should we be going braless?

What is natural for a woman’s body?

I asked these questions over and over again. I finally sat down to do the research and I decided to share what I found with you all. Enjoy your read.

History

The term bra comes from the french term “brassières”, it was invented for the purposes of fashion as well as to transform the views of the female body. By the early 14th century, the wealthy of the Western Culture and Society took hold of the corset, which uses breast support by putting the pressure on the ribcage. Until the early 20th century women took the corset and attempted to make it their own. Allowing for modifications, as well different interpretations of the use in which it provided. However, it all lead to the same premise, the attempt to modify the shape of a woman’s body. By the end of the Second World War, the metal shortage made it so that corsets were no longer possible for the majority of women; therefore, material bras and camisoles became the popular form of undergarmet by the mid-1900’s. From there, other women around the world began to adopt the fashion of the bra in order to conceal and reshape their breasts (Wikipedia, 2020). Later becoming a norm in society that women are unconsciously forced into.

This history has had impacts on the views of women; increasing the sexism in which women adhere to. Encouraged to modify their body in order to be more aesthetically pleasing, the history behind the bra has no scientific output for possible health benefits, but rather, being a child of the corset, has the same controversial implications. Begging the question… does it have the same health restrictions too?

Social Expectation

As mentioned above bras have become an expectation in society. When we reach the age of twelve, or even earlier, our birthday present is our first training bra. We are filled with excitement, because we are finally “becoming a woman”, and are about to take on a new adventure. I personally remember my reaction to my first training bra, I was giddy with excitement, and with much embarrassment thinking back, I let my whole class know that I finally had a training bra, it was that big of a deal. As a millennial woman in an age where I am hyper aware of sexism in our culture, I ask, what did my breasts need training for?

This is where I begin to reflect on the pressure that is being put on women, even from other women, to look a certain way and react a certain way because of the social expectations that were laid out thousands of years ago. Without even recognizing it we are adhering to a norm that is blatantly disrespectful and sexist to a woman’s body. The history of bras is more important than we realize.

I admit, I say this, and I am wearing a bra right now. I only started to reflect on this during our time at home when the whole world was blowing up at us. I admit it because although the history of bras is sexist and controlling, there are women in this world that feel empowered and sexy when they wear particular garmets, they feel good about themselves… and that’s okay. There are also women who want the freedom to let their breasts go and that’s okay too.

We are living in a world where we are so scared to break a norm, or to be a stereotype, that we end up losing ourselves in the process, not understanding what we should be thinking, and what form of thinking will be the most accepted. Understanding the history is important for women’s rights, but understanding it and trying to figure out how to fit inside of it, will only confuse you more. Learn the information, and make an informed decision based on who you are, not who everyone else wants you to be.

Disadvantages

Again… bras were only created as an aesthetic, no matter how much I researched, I could not find scientific history behind the creation of bras, it took me long enough to find the history in the first place. Therefore, learning this makes us wonder what problems bras might cause, and I have learned some interesting material.

Research shows that most women tend to buy the wrong size bra, meaning that not only do they get impacted buy tightness, skin irritation, and plain annoyance, but bras can cause women’s breasts to lose their shape. Crazy right? Bras are advertised to showcase the shape of a breast, they push them up, they can look marvelous, but in the long run the muscles that help keep the breasts up, will become weaker and in turn bring them down. They will lose their shape, and the thing that women dread most will only come sooner… saggy boobs (Latifa, 2020).

Bras can also have an impact on our breathing, restricting the proper flow of air circulation … no wonder it feels so fantastic to take your bra off. This piece of research I can support. Spending three or four weeks without a bra, I noticed a difference in my breathing as soon as I put one back on (Latifa, 2020).

Interestingly enough through women’s menstruation, both before the period and after, women’s breast sizes change. This can cause a malfunction in the fit, and discomfort for the woman herself. And I am sure I am not the only one to say that we are already uncomfortable enough, we don’t need our bras to not longer fit while we have other things to worry about (Courtney, 2020).

Braless Benefits

There are numerous benefits to going braless regularly. It is understandable that one might feel discomfort at first, because it is noticeable. Even just taking off the bra at night time, while we sleep, or while we are walking around in our PJs at the end of the day, can allow for the recirculation of blood, and gives the opportunity for our muscles to gain strength while supporting the breasts (Courtney, 2020).

If you were to decide to go braless, not only would you save money, but you would also be helping your breasts maintain a nicer shape, have better posture and allow for better breathing and blood circulation throughout the body (Mc’Farlene, 2020).

References

• Wikipedia (2020). History of Bras. Retrieved from: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/history_of_bras
• Latifa, B. (2020). 12 cons of wearing a bra. Retrieved from: https://www.metdaan.com/cons-wearing-bra/
• Courtney (2020). The pros and cons of wearing a bra. Retrieved from: https://optimisticmommy.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-wearing-a-bra/
• Mc’Farlene E. (2020). Health benefits of not wearing a bra. Retrieved from: https://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspxemailid=31813