(pun very much intended)

I’m done spending most of my day being uncomfortable for the sake of possibly interfering with someone else’s comfort!

A year and a half ago, I started a new job. Like most jobs I’ve had, it is in male-dominated industry. At that time, there was only one other female working there, and we quickly became friends. It took me almost four months to realize that she didn’t wear a bra. Now that I think about it, I am pretty sure someone mentioned it to me and I didn’t believe them.

So I checked… and yep. She indeed does not wear a bra.

My mind was blown that I had not noticed. I mean, I was working like crazy trying to stay afloat and doing a job that I never really saw myself doing (dealing with the general public was very intimidating to me at first). But still, we worked 45 to 50 hours a week together. That’s more time than I was spending with my boys.

Anyways — my dumbfoundedness was quickly replaced with straight up jealousy. She has her reasons for why she stopped wearing the dreadful things (not that she needed a reason beyond simply not wanting to). Nonetheless, her reasoning helped me justify why I felt I had to stay in my daily discomfort. But man — did I want to not feel confined by social standards once again.

Listen, there was no way I could go without a bra too! She is younger — she doesn’t have double Ds — and she straight rocks the no bra life. Throat and hand tattoos are becoming a little more common and are not so shocking to the general public (depending on the geographical location, of course).
But no bra? For me — that was too much.

Somewhere along the way, society decided that I am bound by some unspoken law to strap up my boobs in a very uncomfortable contraption
— all day —
— every single day —
“For support” they claim, but really it seems like they want to protect strangers from the fact that I have nipples or something.

SPOILER ALERT: We All Do!!

So yeah — NAH BRAH!

It took a full year, but one day I finally asked myself: Self — why are you making me physically miserable all day so that someone else doesn’t have to feel awkward for three seconds? I mean seriously — if a hint of a nipple ruins someone’s day, maybe that says more about them than it does about me. 

Let’s talk logic —

A sports bra? Totally acceptable.
A regular bra? Socially expected.
No bra, but still fully clothed? Suddenly I’m scandalous and/or rebellious.

For Why? Same boobs, just different layers of fabric — but somehow I feel the comfort level of the general public is disrupted.

Make it make sense!!

If I’m at the gym in a tank top and a sports bra , no one flinches. Now if I’m wearing that same tank top to the grocery store without a bra, I feel like I grew a third boob.

Seriously though, the only difference is a lack of bra straps. That is it.

I am not trying to start a rebellion. I am not trying to start a movement. I am not promoting feminism. I am not even anti-bra. Wear what makes you feel good.

You do you Boo!

For me? I’ve unhooked those aggravating contraptions and the nonsense expectations that come with.

My body doesn’t exist to make the world comfortable.
My comfort doesn’t require anyone’s approval.

Right? RIGHT!

It’s been about 4ish months since I fully committed to this NAH BRAH life and TBH I have not gotten the reaction from the general public that I imagined I would. People still stare and make comments about my throat tattoo, but not one single person has made a comment about me not wearing a bra.

Okay that’s not entirely true. Yes, people that know me will ask if I am cold from time to time. This lets me know that not wearing a bra is indeed noticeable to others. But not one stranger has said a word. Not one. Really, I haven’t even noticed any additional stares or side eyes.

So either the social standard only exists in my head or it’s not as taboo as sporting a throat tattoo. Either way, I’m here to tell you, I didn’t just stop wearing a bra.
I stopped having unnecessary back pain.
I stopped having to worry about which bra I needed to wear with what.
I stopped having to buy expensive bras.
I stopped doing a whole separate laundry routine.
Most importantly — I stopped thinking about how others might perceive me and focused on what I wanted and how I felt.

Which makes me wonder — what other social standards am I holding myself to that in reality have no actual value whatsoever?

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– sorry NOT sorry –

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