Platonic Underdog Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 So I identify as a cis female and I experience massive unease in regards to my chest. Is this a form of dysphoria? I hope I'm not being insensitive or coming of as a jerk , I just want to be able to know what to call this feeling of "ugh" about it. I just do not feel comfortable with my chest, I don't like seeing it when I lay down or when I wear button down shirts for a couple of examples. I wish I had a smaller chest, to be honest. For a week or two now, I've been considering wearing a binder or a compression sports bra to see if that makes me feel more comfortable in my gender expression, considering I enjoy wearing masculine clothes and hate and never wear feminine clothes or makeup. I guess I'm just unsure how to go about it? Like where do I even buy a binder or what kind of sports bra is good for compression. It's kind of confusing considering I've never really thought about binding until a couple weeks ago when I saw a post about a cis girl who did , in fact, bind her chest. Can't remember who posted it or where but it got me thinking. Anyway, if you have any advice I would really appreciate it. And please let me know if I said anything that's hurtful or insensitive. I like to let people know that they can approach me if I say something that makes them feel uncomfortable or hurt so we can have an open, honest and calm discussion about it and so that I can apologise properly for saying the hurtful or insensitive thing. p.s my apologies if I posted in the wrong place. Only made my profile a couple of hours ago so still learning I guess 😅 Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Hi there! What you're experiencing is body dysmorphia, an unease at a particular aspect of one's body. Many people, trans and cis, experience this; many cis women I know have some for of dysmorphia over their breasts (too large, too small, too sexualized). In the trans community, the feeling is still dysmorphia, but often mislabeled as dysphoria, usually because of other accompanying feelings of unease (voice, presentation, general wrongness of body, etc). It's your body, so do with it what you like; if you want to bind and it will make you feel better, bind--that's what binders are for. Many women wear certain articles of clothing or even have surgery to help alleviate breast dysmorphia. A binder is impermanent, so why not try it out? EDIT: where to find binders/compression tops: your best bet is online if you want a full binder. If you're comfortable with normal sports bras/compression tops, local all purpose markets should have a selection. (Targets and Walmarts have been known to sometimes carry men's compression shirts--kind of a cross between a binder and a sports bra in function) Link to post Share on other sites
Platonic Underdog Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Yeah, you're right. I think I might start with the sports bra idea and see how that makes me feel and work my way up from there. Thank you for your advise 😊 Link to post Share on other sites
soda59 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 OHHH I didn't realize the difference between dysmorphia AND dysphoria. I have been calling it 'sexual dysphoria' . Ahhhhh!!! 5 minutes ago, Heart of Darkness said: Hi there! What you're experiencing is body dysmorphia, an unease at a particular aspect of one's body. Many people, trans and cis, experience this; many cis women I know have some for of dysmorphia over their breasts (too large, too small, too sexualized). In the trans community, the feeling is still dysmorphia, but often mislabeled as dysphoria, usually because of other accompanying feelings of unease (voice, presentation, general wrongness of body, etc). It's your body, so do with it what you like; if you want to bind and it will make you feel better, bind--that's what binders are for. Many women wear certain articles of clothing or even have surgery to help alleviate breast dysmorphia. A binder is impermanent, so why not try it out? EDIT: where to find binders/compression tops: your best bet is online if you want a full binder. If you're comfortable with normal sports bras/compression tops, local all purpose markets should have a selection. (Targets and Walmarts have been known to sometimes carry men's compression shirts--kind of a cross between a binder and a sports bra in function) Thanks sooo much for the clarification!!!!!! I consider myself cis because I am okay with being a girl, but it is when sex is directed at my gender that I get uncomfortable. I have considered going by agender to help alleviate this. I am very uncomfortable with my breasts, but I'm not really going to bind, I am just going to try and get them removed within the next 10 years hopefully. I am more indifferent to my genitals , tbh , maybe because I've always had them since I was a child. It's more of puberty that always made me feel so weird. I do like that I'm taller and have a bigger frame, so that I have been pretty much the same size as some guys I have known. I think that helps me too. Link to post Share on other sites
soda59 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 https://roygbiv.jezebel.com/stop-confusing-gender-dysphoria-with-body-dysmorphia-al-1583049920 Wait no, I don't think dysmorphia is the same thing as dysphoria and what we are experiencing is still a type of dysphoria, not dysmorphia... " Those who suffer from body dysmorphia have a disconnection between the reality they are perceiving and how that perception is recognised in their brains. They look in an ordinary mirror, but for them, the result is something like we might imagine a funhouse mirror to look. There is an inability to recognise the body for what it is. " I mean yes, this is just one article from 2014, from one person but it makes a good case. Dysmorphia feels more like your body is being MORPHED in your mind....LIke you see someone fat even though you are skinny, for example. Or you see someone with a disfigurement even if you are not. . We definitely see our bodies as they are I think? But it's more related to gendered characteristics. I am just not sure it's the same thing as gender dysphoria, so I call it 'sexual dysphoria' . Maybe it's something inbetween, but I don't think it's dysmorphia. Link to post Share on other sites
Platonic Underdog Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Hmm. Fair enough. Thank you for the article and input😊 Link to post Share on other sites
soda59 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 53 minutes ago, Platonic Underdog said: Hmm. Fair enough. Thank you for the article and input😊 Yeah I'm sorry if I"m not super helpful on finding a definition for you. I feel cis too and experience something like dysphoria, so it's definitely confusing. Link to post Share on other sites
Platonic Underdog Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Aw, don't worry. It actually did help. Learning the difference between gender identity and gender expression is pretty confusing and our bodies don't always help in that regard. And for me I guess it's taking on a more masculine appearance despite identifying as cis female. I think for me the binding would help with the dysphoria somewhat. Link to post Share on other sites
warrigan Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 i wear exclusively sports bras (i would like to wear a binder but i'm waiting until i lose some weight so i can wear a half length one. my full length binder was a total pain to wear with my extra chub ) anyway, i get my sports bras from target- specifically the champion c9 bras. they do a pretty good job- way better than a regular bra but definitely not the same results as binding. since i am overweight, i don't mind; it just kinda looks like moobs! plus layering is my best friend. flannels are my faaaaave. hope you find something that works for you! Link to post Share on other sites
Platonic Underdog Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Thanks, I'll have to check it out. Hopefully my target will have them. Also flannels are indeed a wonderfull creation. It's either that or button down shirts for me 😊 Link to post Share on other sites
ReyGraves Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 I second the Champion Sports Bra from Target! Link to post Share on other sites
helana12_03 Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 I'm a cis female who feels uncomfortable with her boobs too. I would probably get a binder if my body could handle wearing one, but I have hiatal hernia and wearing tight clothing around my stomach makes me sick . I wear unpadded bras with flat cups and do chest reducing exercises. An unpaddad bra can help flatten your chest. Wearing unpadded sports bras and tank tops under a baggy T-shirt can also help. If you're thinking of getting a sports bra I would get a tight one with zero padding and no cups. But you want to make sure you can breathe in it. Link to post Share on other sites
Platonic Underdog Posted March 3, 2018 Author Share Posted March 3, 2018 Yeah, I had a look online and it looks like Aussie targets don't stock it? Ah well. Can always test different sports bras and get a similar result, eh? Link to post Share on other sites
Platonic Underdog Posted March 3, 2018 Author Share Posted March 3, 2018 Thanks for the advice, it actually helps out a ton. Hopefully I can get one at one of the stores near me Link to post Share on other sites
Albine Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 Good subject! I've felt that way too but in the other direction. I felt I should of had breasts. Actually researched and ended up having male breast augmentation. While I have no intention of transitioning, having breasts help alleviate those feeling, it has opened other issues now that I am a all all intense purposes a male with large breasts. Link to post Share on other sites
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