#bras didn't like. spawn into the world with the patriarchy. they are a fashion garment -- an undergarment designed to serve a purpose.

[chemicalarospec]

look as someone with medium sized soft breasts it really bothers me when people portray bras as Evil Tools of Oppression that you will chose to frequently forgo once you're (a) Liberated (Woman). I wear a bra every day not because like. men tell me to. or like. i don't want my unfairly sexualized nips to show.

I wear a bra every day because it gives me support. Because otherwise I can't jump without it hurting -- any movement that makes my breasts swing makes the skin stretch, which can be a little painful. I wear a bra (or binder) every day because it makes clothes fit comfortably and I like the way it makes my body look. Going without a bra is not comfortable for me -- for one reason, I don't like wearing pajamas all day long and not wearing a bra puts me in that mentality, but in the same way I enjoy dressing up, I enjoy wearing a bra. (Edit: originally I forgot but they also stop me from feeling my sweaty skin stick together! big win!) But even regardless, my bra is a bag for my two hanging sacks of fat on my chest; it's convenient.

(PS: If your bra hurts, it's too small. Wear it looser or get a bigger one!)

Edit: I have more context for this post in the reblogs but I definitely let it overemphasize my personal feelings when the point I didn't realize I was trying to make was "bras are objects that serve a purpose besides a oppression; it is entirely reason for even a Liberated Feminist to chose to wear a bra". Also I was trying on my binder a different way and realized it's actually not too uncomfortable to not wear a bra with some shirts (may also depend on where in cycle) (I don't think wearing any short of shrug/sweater over would be comfortable though. I don't really like the way it looks but I may pick up lounging like this. #charactergrowth

[marzipanandminutiae]

The Snark Is Real This Morning

Oh no! Some patriarchal shill just had an Illegal Corset Thought on the Internet!

Maybe they said "corsets weren't invented by the patriarchy" or "comfort was actually often a prime concern for most women's day-to-day corset-wearing, as evidenced by mid-late 19th century advertising" or "women didn't go around fainting constantly because most of them didn't tightlace most of the time."

Maybe they brought up "survivorship bias in extant clothing" or "rampant photo doctoring in the 19th/early 20th century" or "treating satirical cartoons and fashion plates as gospel" or "museums displaying corsets laced entirely closed when wear patterns and primary sources indicate that lacing gaps were more common in many times and places" These concepts are actually conspiracies invented by Big Misogyny to sell more booze to depressed history workers!

Maybe one of them said that she'd worn corsets, or even that she and/or her friends actually found them more comfortable than bras! Clearly she believes this is representative of all women throughout history and in the present day. Besides, she is suffering from Femininity Poisoning and nothing coming out of her silly, weak little brain can be taken seriously. Remember, it is Peak Feminism to dismiss what a woman says because of her gender presentation!

Don't be fooled! All of these statements mean one thing: they are saying that corsets were and are, always and forever, universally feminist and empowering. That no woman in the past ever found them uncomfortable, and that GNC women didn't exist before 1960 and also are icky. Did they actually say that? Doesn't matter! You know what she Really Meant- you've seen P*rates of the Caribbean and Br*dgerton! Corsets were always torture devices meant to oppress women, and any statement contradicting that clearly means the extreme opposite.

So what's a right-thinking and concerned Internet Citizen to do? You have a few options:

See point above re: femininity. Feminine-presenting women are basically brainless, so if a woman talking about dress history Wears An Skirt, you can just write off whatever she says. Easy peasy! Be sure to say something derogatory about her appearance, so others know why they shouldn't take her seriously.

Accuse them of not knowing their history. Any degrees, professional experience, publications, academic accolades, etc. they may have are irrelevant. Their primary sources are...idk photoshopped or something? Best to ignore them altogether. You have Feelings on your side, and that's far more valuable than any research!

Accuse them of accusing you of being a t*rf. Works especially well if they've said anything about the preponderance of t*rfs expressing your True and Correct views- that just means they're calling everyone who thinks like you a transphobe, duh!

Tell them they're not believing women. If they have cited so-called "realities of historical women's lives," well, that's clearly just the rich elite of any given era (who were also brainrotted by Femininity, natch). If you're a woman, and you say corsets were the spawn of Beelzebub, that should be enough ~evidence~ for anyone!

Appeal to common knowledge. Everyone KNOWS corsets were evil; can they really be DEFENDING a KNOWN HATEFUL OPPRESSIVE HELL-GARMENT?! What is the world coming to! If they ask how exactly everyone knows that and where that collective belief comes from, reply with a snarky GIF and block them. There's just no reasoning with some people.

Call them a tradwife. Are they a tradwife? Irrelevant.

With all these tools in your arsenal, you are now well-equipped to fight the horde of vile corset apologists online. Remember: It's Only Real Oppression If The Oppressed Group Is Miserable 24/7!