After a lifetime of discomfort, I stopped wearing a bra – and I’ll never wear one again | Becki Jacobson

It wasn't even my decision. But being forced to ditch them after surgery was a revelation. Who cares what people think?

Society has unwritten rules that we're all expected to follow and that can dictate some of the most intimate choices in our lives - from family structure and career and lifestyle decisions to the underwear we wear. That last one may seem out of left field, but it's true that society tells girls of all ages that as soon as their breasts start forming wearing a bra is the appropriate and decent thing to do.

When I was a little girl, I could hardly wait to start wearing a bra. To me, it was a symbol of growing up, becoming a woman, and I began wearing one long before it was necessary". As a teenager, I found it fun to buy every different colour and style available until I had dozens to choose from. Back then, I accepted the discomfort of strapping down my breasts as one of the many unfair consequences of being female. I thought there was no other choice.

Becki Jacobson is an American writer and entrepreneur

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