To wear or not to wear — Am I a bad feminist

Ask a woman what she thinks about when she chooses her outfit, you’ll get one common answer, ‘comfort’. But even in the 21st century women are subjected to physical and cultural restrictions through clothing. I recently got to experience the ‘braless shaming’ openly when a woman shopkeeper asked me to wear a bra at all times because: a. It won’t make your breasts grow bigger (apparently bralessness makes them grow indefinitely) and b. It does not look good in public place.

I couldn’t say anything to her and that made me think if I am not the feminist I thought I was. But when I pondered a little bit more over it, I realized it is a bigger stigma than my any answer could have erased. With the society telling us what not to wear, it also comes bearing the rules of what-to wear when in public. So reading about common misconceptions, I found plenty. Let’s explore.

The anti-bra movements date back to the 60s and since then, women round the world are looking for a society where their braless breasts aren’t stared at. Since the last couple of years we have feminists starting movements like #freethenipple to raise awareness that the ‘option’ to wear it or not is very much available to women and to start the conversation around why it is not okay to point it out by the society. While there are numerous studies out there showing us that wearing a bra actually makes our breasts go saggier, there is absolutely no study stating it is okay to tell a woman what to wear and what not to. Getting the facts to the masses to make an informed decision may lie in the hands of an individual, but making it for them doesn’t.

Another social reason for guilting women into caging their breasts is desirability. The factor of how beauty is perceived in the society leads to women believing perkier breasts are more desirable that ANY shape theirs are. Mothers passing on to the mentality alongwith the genetics and men asking something ‘firmer’ instilled a self-loathing tendency in young women.

Once we find a little courage to look at ourselves and ask if I want to be free for a day, we will know the answer. We need to know the answer that comes from within and not without.

Though being a feminist today is quite an unpopular opinion and we are expected to maintain the status-quo, the common misconception that co-workers, peers, and anyone can comment on a woman’s right to choose has to be set straight with the assertive voices of our fearless feminists.