Yesterday, I was listening to a podcast by Ethan St. Pierre's "The Radicalguy" in which he interviewed Mila Pavlin.During the interview, the Mila mentioned that as a young pre-op transwoman, she was mortified whenever she had to remove her top to go swimming or participate in other activities in which males were expected to go shirtless because in her mind, she was female and going topless was not something females did in public. During such occurrences, she would try to cover up with a towel in order to feel less embarrassed.
When I was young, I experienced something similar whenever I was expected to be shirtless because I have boobs. I don't know if my breast development was the result of being overweight, hormone imbalance, Gynecomastia, or a combination of some or all of the above. Whatever... I have boobs that nearly fill a B cup bra.
In my youth, my breasts embarrassed me; I would notice people checking out my breasts and occasionally, I would hear hurtful comments like "He should wear a bra?" As I grew older, I began avoiding situations where I had to go shirtless and as an adult, I am never in a public situation without a shirt.
On the other hand, I am very happy with natural breasts when I am en femme and I seldom have to wear anything in my bra to augment my bust. The only time I stuff my bra is when I wear a low-cut top or dress and want to display some cleavage (as in the accompanying photo). To achieve cleavage, I tape my breasts together, but by doing so, my bra cups are only half-filled, so I use stuffing to fill out the cups. But normally, the only thing in my bra is me.
Admittedly, my breasts are small for a woman my size, but they are all mine and they feel as natural as can be. And my breasts are no longer an embarrassment; they have become an asset.
Thanks to the Olympics, neck-to-knee swimsuits on males are becoming more mainstream.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't want to hit the pool topless but a female suit is out, this place sells a complete coverage unisex suit with a full front lining option for support.
http://www.agonswim.com
The "grab bag" suits are a good deal, but you never know what print you'll end up with. I have one with a bright pink sorority logo down each side of the suit.
Unisex and male suits are sold by waist size. Unlike Speedo, the number represents the *maximum* that the suit will accomodate; if in-between, move to the larger size.
Roscoe --- Thank you for the information!
ReplyDeletewell... a girl has to look good, and well formed breasts help all that... and all natural for a CDer...?
ReplyDeleteStaci -- how she does all this......................................!
deborah
Deborah --- Win some, lose some!
ReplyDeleteI had wondered how you had gotten your breasts to look so natural and now I know. Have you ever done a breast cancer screen? Not just genetic girls get that you know.
ReplyDeleteLauralee --- I never had a breast cancer screening. Maybe I should.
ReplyDeleteAs a boy growing up in the middle 1950's I was like you, embarrassed by my breasts, they were big from the time I had a conscious thought about what was "normal". I did swim shirtless but hated the stares. I do know that I had what we know today as Gynecomastia in my left breast. I could feel the lump behind the puffy nipple. I found if I would press against it my nipple would harden and lesson the look, but it would soon pop out again and I'd try to hide. Today at 67 I love my breasts. I easily fill a B cup and although I never go shirtless I love knowing that in a bra, its all me!
ReplyDeleteAs a boy with only sisters, we played dress up alot growing up, so I had worn a bra and other clothing considered for girls only many times. Alot of my clothes were hand-me-downs, so around the house I was often wearing a skirt (secretly with panties) instead of shorts. When my breasts started growing, my single mom acted like it was completely normal and my sisters gave me their old bras to wear, so I assumed it was normal, so I didn't feel any embarrassment about my breasts at first.
ReplyDeleteEventually my breasts were the same size as my oldest sister, and it dawned on me that no other boys I knew were growing breasts, only me and the girls. I was a little embarrassed and confused during that time. Was I supposed to be a girl? I loved many activities considered only for girls, and I loved wearing bras, panties, dresses, skirts, and heels. I kept my hair longer, wore makeup and painted my nails sometimes, and wore girl's deodorant and perfume. I had a girl's swimsuit I wore when swimming.
I had noticed my sisters, mom, and girls at school shaved their legs. didn't have much hair, but remember feeling good shaving my legs and armpits that first time. I loved the feeling wearing pantyhose with my shaved legs.
Embracing my feminine feelings and since I was wearing a bra already, I stopped my underwear and only wore the secretly borrowing panties from my sisters. It was exciting.
I started wearing more female clothing to school. I didn't wear dresses or skirts to school, but did wear girl's shirts and shorts. the female clothing was very plain, almost unisex, but it was the girls that noticed one morning. Maybe it was because I was bigger up top, was wearing a blouse, my girl's shorts with the pantyline, or my shaved legs. One of those girls walked by and popped my bra strap, but said nothing. Several of those girls then pulled me into the girls' restroom where my blouse and shorts were removed revealing I was wearing a bra and panties. I was threatened to be pushed out in the hallway if I didn't do what they said and remove my bra.
I had been wearing the panties secretly without asking, so did what they asked and removed my bra.
They stared at my breasts and a few gasped. His boobs are bigger than a few of ours. Is he really a boy? He must be a girl.
I struggled as my panties were pulled down to satisfy their curiosity revealing that I was definitely a boy.
Their eyes darted back and forth from my feminine breasts and nipples on my chest to my boy parts below, with looks on their faces like they couldn't believe what they were seeing. I was embarrassed and covered myself with my hands as best I could as I pulled up my panties and put my bra back on. I was some kinda freak to them.
One of the girls about my size who had been wearing a very feminine cut blouse and a pleated skirt disappeared into a stall with my clothes and quickly returned wearing my clothes and handed her clothes to me.
I was to wear those clothes or be pushed back in the hallway wearing only my bra and panties.
I got dressed in her clothes and the girls put lipstick and blush on me. Her top hugged my curves and the skirt swayed on my smooth, but shaky legs.
I was loudly pushed out of the girl's restroom and down the hallway to whistles very embarrassed. This felt very different from playing dressup and made me feel sick inside.
Somehow what the girls did to me was all my fault.
I got teased alot after that and was referred to as a queer, odd, and sissy.