I stumbled across this community when Googling "don't want to wear a bra" and I've enjoyed reading the things posted on here, so I hope it's okay I make a post myself.

I myself, would very much like to go brafree for a myriad of reasons. I never, ever wanted to wear one in the first place and some traumatic events transpired when people thought "it was time" for me to have one. My biological mother never explained anything to me about bras and just took me to the shops, saying "I want you to have a bra". I said no and she physically dragged me into a bra shop.  I ran away when she let go and I didn't end up getting one that day. About a year later, my biological father promised that he would give up smoking if I agreed to get fitted for and purchase a bra. Which he followed through with - about four or five years later. He denies he ever made this promise.

I absolutely hate wearing them and I feel much more self conscious when I do, rather than feeling self conscious when I'm not. I don't feel like it's necessary to wear them. The only times I have ever experienced chest or breast pain is when I have been wearing a bra. The local bra shops don't stock my size, so I have to go out of my way to get them. I have found many of the people working in bra shops to be uncooperative, uninterested in my wants and needs and somewhat condescending. I feel comfortable not wearing one. I am not overly large, by any means, so that eliminates any need I might have for them.

I don't like what the bra symbolises - to me, the symbolism is mainly a "Oh no! Female sexuality! Violation of modesty! Must eradicate! NOW!!!!" sort of thing. So, in short, I basically think the bra was designed by men, without the wants or needs of women in mind. To me, the bra embodies control. I'm not saying I want women to start walking around topless in public, but I simply don't see what is remotely offensive about breasts, especially if they are covered by clothing (not including bras). If bra's are necessary to "prevent sagging" or "cover up", then by all rights, shouldn't men with "man boobs" be expected to wear bras as well?

I also find it rather hypocritical that society sexualises female breasts so much but expects women to cover them up with bras.

I already defy a lot of preconceived gender stereotypes - I am not constantly dieting, I do not wear make-up, I do not wear dresses or skirts, I do not wear high heels, I don't particularly enjoy shopping, I do not shave (anything), I do not believe in marriage and I will most certainly, never be having children. However, I do like to wear jewellery and I do own some clothes which have splashes of pink on them. I like to cook and I have been known to be moved to tears quite easily, although I never cry for very long. I'm not saying that being female as a whole is made up of the things included in a gender stereotype, but I fail to see how I am letting down the female population, if I go brafree (somebody has said this to me). Being female means whatever you want it to mean. I don't identify fully as female - I prefer to think of myself as just a person, rather than a specific gender. I incorporate female and male influences in my life. For instance, I also enjoy motorcycle racing, fishing and woodwork. So, this means that really...gender constraints shouldn't apply to me.

I think I have good reasons for going brafree. But anyone I mention it to, looks at me in disgust and cries something like "But it's so unfeminine!", "But you have to wear a bra! Only hippies go without!", "That's nasty!" "Nobody wants to see that! It's disgusting!". The biggest opposition is my bio father. He's a very old fashioned person and believes in gender roles. Anything I do or say that he doesn't like, his reaction is always to try and shame me into doing what he wants. He says that I'm a stupid idiot for even thinking about going bra free. He says I will be ridiculed beyond belief over it and people will view me as though I have a contagious disease. While some people may do that - that's not a good enough reason to dismiss the idea completley. People who would say something insulting about it are much more obscene and rude about it than I ever could be just by going brafree.

I"m slowly working up the courage to go brafree, despite what my bio father says (I live with him). If I can survive his verbal assault against me not shaving, I can surely survive the one against going brafree.What opposition have the people in this group experienced? Do you have any anecdotes to share?

In any case, I'm pleased to be amongst like minded folk. X]

UPDATE: I went brafree for the first time in public a couple of days ago. I wore a singlet underneath and I don't think anybody noticed, because I didn't get any comments or unusual looks. Not even from my dear old dad who believes women should be made up properly whenever they leave the house. =D

Effects of clothing pressure caused by different types of brassieres on autonomic nervous system activity evaluated by heart rate variability power spectral analysis. and The effects of skin pressure by clothing on circadian rhythms of core temperature and salivary melatonin.