Boobs. There, I said it. I can’t be the only one who is noticing the world’s obsession with the female chest. I understand that boobs can be a fascinating phenomenon but how hard is it to look someone in the eyes while you talk to them and not their cleavage?
Being a girl who is a proud advocate for the “Itty Bitty Titty Committee” my whole life, I’ve never been the one to draw guys in based off of the melons in my chart, but as of lately, it’s as if every guy is staring them down. Imagine trying to hold up a conversation while all you’re thinking about is calling out the guy who’s fixated on your boobs. The expression “My eyes are up here” has never been more clear to me, because in all honesty having a person focus on anything other than your conversation is already frustrating to begin with, but when you know they’re actively objectifying you, it’s another story altogether. I find it insane that I have experienced this as of lately, while I’m sure, other women get this far more regularly than I do.
These situations are the pure reason why I feel uncomfortable to stand with the Free The Nipple campaign. Whenever another woman is proudly braless in public I feel liberated and happy to see her object social constructs, but I also wish I could find the confidence to do the same as well. Of course every woman participates in the Free The Nipple Movement for different reasons, some do it to make a statement while other women choose to do it for comfort. I, for one, find bras to be comfortable but in certain circumstances unnecessary.
Over the summer my uniform at McDonalds consisted of work pants, work shoes, and a very oversized work shirt, which meant to me that I was free to go braless without much attention, or so I thought. During my courageous summer my co-workers took notice and were laughing going around asking why I wasn’t wearing a bra. At first I was taken back because I suddenly felt like the odd man out, but then I realized that I didn’t owe anyone a reasoning for my actions. What I ended up doing in that moment, was asking them why women feel the need to wear one in the first place, and how my choice to not wear a bra to work was affecting any of their lives.
Now this wasn’t the only time I have chosen to go braless; two months later I chose to go braless to my 1am-3am desk shift. I personally saw this as an appropriate decision because at that point of the night most people should be asleep, and, for those who weren’t, like myself, I should be allowed to be comfortable in some lounge-wear. Of course I didn’t find myself in any trouble with my supervisors but it was the other staff members who were my age who engaged in a staring contest with my nipples. I was in awe, men and women would continue our regular friendly conversation behind the desk but would look down at my nipples as if to say hello to them as well.
Moments like these make women feel powerless of their own body in society. I understand that this is not as ground breaking as abortion laws, but the objectification of women’s bodies and the choices they choose to make continue to affect the respect they are given from society. Whoever deemed it appropriate to stare, snicker, or judge another human being for the choices they make for their body? I hope to one day be empowered enough to integrate my braless days into my everyday life, and feeling free to pick and choose the days I want to wear a bra.