6 Body-Shaming Reasons People Tell You to Wear a Bra – And Why It’s None of Their Business

August 9, 2016 / Alli

Editor’s Note: Although women’s bodies, clothing choices, etc are constantly policied, they aren’t the only ones with breasts, nor are all people with breasts women. Bra-policing also affects trans, nonbinary, genderqueer, and intersex people with breasts. It also impacts disabled folks for whom bras aren’t an option – whether due to pain, sensory issues, and other reasons.

“You can’t go out like that!”

Do you have to wear a bra?

The choice is entirely up to you. But you might think it’s not okay to go braless if you listen to some of the things people say about it – and you might not realize that there’s body-shaming behind their message.

Whether you decide to wear a bra or not, you shouldn’t be shamed for your choice.

So check out why people might try to tell you bras are necessary – and then some empowering ideas for much better reasons to wear a bra.

How does this choice make a difference in your life?

With Love,
The Editors at Everyday Feminism

Click for the Transcript

Breast Practices

Panel One

(Two bras on either side of text)

Text: The world is full of breasts of all shapes and sizes. The world is also full of people who want to tell you how you should manage those breasts. Here are some terrible, body-shaming, sex-shaming, victim-blaming reasons given for why bras are necessary:

Panel Two

(A man staring at a woman’s chest. The woman has her arms crossed over her breasts and is not wearing a bra.)

Man: Hey, you can’t blame me for looking, you’re the one who let those things loose.

Panel Three

(A small-breasted woman speaking to a large-breasted woman who isn’t wearing a bra.)

Small-Breasted Woman: If you don’t start wearing a bra, you’ll be sagging by your 25th birthday.

Panel Four

(A man looking at a woman’s chest;, her nipples are showing slightly through her shirt.)

Man: Smuggling raisins? So are you looking to hook up or just being a tease?

Panel Five

(An older woman speaking to a teen girl who is wearing a tube top.)

Older Woman: You can’t go out like that! People will get the wrong idea.

Panel Six

(A young man speaking to an older woman in a tank top and no bra.)

Young Man: Ugh, gross. Holster those things and have some self-respect.

Panel Seven

(A woman wearing a T-tee shirt, speaking to a woman wearing a dress with no bra.)

Woman in T-tee shirt: I’m just saying, if you want to be taken seriously as a woman, you have to dress the part.

Panel Eight

(Two bras on either side of text.)

Text: And now here are some excellent reasons to wear a bra:

Panel Nine

(A woman wearing a lacy bra and a frilly slip.)

Text: It makes you feel sexy.

Panel Ten

(A woman wearing a sports bra and boxing gloves, hitting a speed bag.)

Text: It makes you feel more secure as you move around.

Panel Eleven

(A person wearing a bra as they get dressed.)

Text: You find it affirming.

Panel Twelve

(A person wearing a bra under a very loose, low-cut tank top.)

Text: They make you feel more comfortable.

Panel Thirteen

(An older woman wearing a pretty balconette bra.)

Text: Because you like bras.

Panel Fourteen

(A woman wearing a bra under a fishnet top.)

Text: Because you want to and for no other reason.

To learn more about this topic, check out:

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Alli was a Contributing Comic Artist for Everyday Feminism from 2015 to 2017. They are the creator of the webcomic PunkPuns and the vocalist of the L.A. queer feminist punk band P.I.T. Alli has a degree in English Literature, which is cheerfully wasted in pop literary criticism discourse on Tumblr.