Why is not wearing a bra so unacceptable?

I think it should be fine not to wear one, and fine to wear one, according to personal comfort as with any non sexualised item of clothing - say a jumper.

I agree that this isn't true.

I'm a 38G and peopl with no inappropriate intentionse can definitely tell when I don't wear a bra. I know this because my teenage DD has commented I don't personally feel uncomfortable without one at all, so would prefer there to be no social stigma about being clearly braless but appropriately dressed.

I'd wear one to work because my job is active and I am sometimes in close contact with people - wouldn't to be bashing people with them! I'd like there to be genuinely no judgement of a larger breasted woman going food shopping or picking the kids up from wherever without a bra but appropriately dressed for the activities in jeans and a t shirt or whatever, but that isn't the case.

It is because breasts are sexualised, that's completely obvious.

Right now I'm uncomfortable in a bra and uncomfortable not in a bra, which isn't great.

But I'm getting incredibly fed up of seeing men's hairy arse cracks (or a lot of pantage if I'm lucky) around and about. I'm not looking, they're just there!

I’m autistic and have sensory issues with elastic digging in - I hate bras and don’t wear them.

I’m now in my sixties, and most of my male contemporaries have bigger breasts than I do, so perhaps they should be wearing them instead!

Yes, it's the way women are shamed for not wearing one. Every so often there will be a thread in AIBU or chat about a woman who's been taken on one side by her manager to say "wear a bra, it's distracting", because apparently the mere hint of an outline of a nipple through completely opaque fabric is more than anyone else in the workplacec can handle and they're likely to faint from the shock of it.

No one has any issues with women who want or need to wear them (I have the worst of both worlds - my norks are small but flappy, so I still need a bra for comfort)>

I don’t think anyone really cares where small breasts are concerned but with larger breasts it seems to be an issue. Not sure whether it’s because of fetishing of breasts or a presentability thing like being expected to wear shape wear if you are fat. I must admit I feel very uncomfortable seeing/thinking about large breasted women going braless because I find it so uncomfortable (especially the jiggling and fabric rubbing on nipples aspect). I wouldn’t tell women what to wear but I really dislike seeing that because I can ‘feel’ it. Like someone running fingernails down a chalkboard.

Sorry about that. Try again. Favourite cartoon on this subject:



I have had comments outside of work from friends or relatives asking am I not wearing one. I'm jiggly, it's obvious when I'm not.

But that doesn't mean it's unacceptable. I don't get the bit about men not having the hassle or expense either. It's your choice.

For me it's a health and safety issue, I don't want people tripping over my norks

I'm generally in the comfier in a bra group, but have a couple of times been in the office braless (once when I'd idiotically managed to sunburn my back) - I just wore a slightly thicker opaque top.

Have you been “heavily advised to wear a bra”?

I’d be extremely uncomfortable with out a bra. Pain jiggling weight of them. They would sag massively.

I do sometimes take it off at home but never out.

Only those of small boobage would question this. I wish I were you!!!

Ellenborough your equivalent is camel toe, not breasts

I'd accidentally shut my nipple in a drawer if I didn't wear a bra.

I had never given this a thought Shiveringcoyote, being in the wearing a bra in the interests of public safety category (think ‘commuters injured after being hit by out of control breasts’), but I think you are right about societal expectations.

The irony is that bra straps have become acceptable in the summer when that was a no no when I was young. It is all about pretending all women have a certain shape, when they don’t.

OP, have you ever been heavily advised from someone at work to wear a bra? That's just strange.
I don't see the issue, bras serve a purpose for most and are optional... If it had been about ties then that would be another matter, the money DH wastes on ties is unbelievable, and they serve no function that I can see

It is a difficult thing to get your head around though because it's a double standard. And yes to free the nipple.

It should either be: no one's bare chest is OK in public, so men don't walk around with their chest bare, or everyone's is OK. One is not inherently more OK than the other. Jesus, why are people so scared of tits?

Boobs are not the same as a penis/sexual organ! Viewing them as being so is part of the problem. Obviously not OK for a man to walk around with a penis on display, just as it's not OK for me to go to work in crotchless trousers or something. Boobs are not the equivalent and should not be seen so.

Penis and breasts are not comparable. Breasts aren’t a sex organ!

I agree there is an expectation. Many women still don’t, including myself and I am a D Cup and petite so it does make people stare more. I just don’t care anymore and think bras are a waste of money, for me, and unnecessary. I think it’s the nipple thing most people notice. Oh well

Penis isn't equivalent to breasts