Breasts

[Arch]

You know what I don't understand? Why so many women get breast augmentation in the first place.

When I was researching top surgery, I came across lots of BA before-and-after shots. I'm not exactly a boob man, but in about two thirds or three quarters of the cases, I couldn't see any earthly reason to have the surgery. Most of the, er, parts, were quite ample. A lot of them were big to begin with, and they weren't particularly saggy or lopsided or weird or anything. And the after photos...good lord, you would need a crane, not a bra, to handle those things. Why do that to yourself voluntarily?

I just don't get it.

[Breastquest]

This is what I'm trying to prevent my sister from doing, even at the cost of "coming out" and letting her know that her brother has breasts (and experience growing them). Hard topic to bring up with a gg if you are a man 

[Nemo]

You know what I don't understand? Why so many women get breast augmentation in the first place.

When I was researching top surgery, I came across lots of BA before-and-after shots. I'm not exactly a boob man, but in about two thirds or three quarters of the cases, I couldn't see any earthly reason to have the surgery. Most of the, er, parts, were quite ample. A lot of them were big to begin with, and they weren't particularly saggy or lopsided or weird or anything. And the after photos...good lord, you would need a crane, not a bra, to handle those things. Why do that to yourself voluntarily?

I just don't get it.

Apart from the fact they look fake. Probably feel fake too. Regarding above, the one springing to mind right now is Katie Price, aka Jordan. Eeeeeww...

Natural's much better - just not on me. They sometimes hurt, they're lumpy, they prevent me from whipping my shirt off in summer and therefore forcing me to bake. They've already let me down once when one decided to grow two sizes bigger than the other, making me feel even more insecure; when using outplants to bring the smaller up to the larger (while awaiting reduction surgery), I got a lot of unwanted attention, which I hated. I've never liked the things, even before I knew I was trans.

[Vancha]

I find it truly annoying that I think its there and have to consciously recall that it is not. This happens during the day too but seems the worst in those early waking moments. I used to be afraid to sleep knowing what waking would bring. That awful feeling of being deformed. I often felt that it must have been cut off because of how much I feel it there and its not. This is depressing.

On top of my waking hours, I am now having incredibly traumatic dreams about it.  Quite graphic, too - clawing at my crotch, desperate to find it.  It's inescapable.  It is very depressing, isn't it?  There's not much I can add, unfortunately, but I understand how you feel.

[Eva Marie]

This is what I'm trying to prevent my sister from doing, even at the cost of "coming out" and letting her know that her brother has breasts (and experience growing them). Hard topic to bring up with a gg if you are a man 

Bad, bad idea (coming out to your sister). You seem to have some rather romantic ideas about how the experience will go, but what if it doesn't go that way? What if she tells, say, your parents about what is going on? Are you ready for that? Or what if you lose or damage your relationship with her? Your sister? She might be horrified that her brother is thinking along these lines. She is a GG after all. The idea of her brother wanting breasts, and offering advice on growing breasts is likely to be really, really weird to her.

Please sit back and carefully reconsider this. While I see nothing wrong with a male that wants breasts (after all  i'm an androgyne with some breasts), there are a *lot* of things to consider before you take that step.

[Arch]

I'm going to be honest with you here.
You are a self-identified man who is appropriating part of the female body for your own kicks. From a feminist perspective, this is quite reprehensible and highly misogynistic. Trans women cop enough flak for being female identifying people who work towards female bodies without you sticking your male-identifying oar into this already touchy issue.
Why is it that many males feel that they can take whatever they like from women? We have enough problems in this world operating as females, without having a man taking away another part of our identity for his own pleasure.

I respect your right to have and state your opinion, but I'm wondering what you think of trans men who keep their front holes because they like them. Or trans men who keep their internal parts and then pop out babies. Or androgynes who want some "female" parts and some "male" parts. Or lesbians who use strap-ons and who pack on a regular basis. And so on.

I for one try very hard to fight against biological essentialism. That kind of thinking is what makes trans people pariahs in the first place. A lot of people, mostly women, feel that trans women are men who appropriate female spaces, female bodies, and female identities. I think that's a lot of hokum.

As for Breastquest, it's his body. He can do what he wants with it. I may not understand. I may not even approve. But I will not condemn him for it, especially on a trans support site. People with all sorts of gender issues and genderbending tendencies come here for positive vibes, help, and advice. And I think they should get it.

[Deanna_Renee]

Well said Arch,

I personally don't see how it could be perceived that I am 'taking away another part of' a woman's identity. I am not appropriating anything from anyone. My need to change myself to more closely reach my gender identity is not done at the loss of any other person, same for the guys here in this forum. I am also having a very, very hard time fathoming how what the OP is hoping to accomplish or what any of us are trying to accomplish is even remotely misogynistic? The OP is not desiring to grow breasts (I'm assuming from what has been said here) out of some hatred of women.

misogynist |məˈsäjənist|
noun
a man who hates women.
adjective
reflecting or inspired by a hatred of women : a misogynist attitude.

The guys here are not transitioning out of a hatred of women (again assuming) it is out of severe incongruence with one's own body image with their gender identity that pushes us to do what is needed for each of us to reach a level of transition that we are comfortable with. If that means identifying as male and developing breasts (whether for sexual gratification or gender congruence) then it is not for any one of us to say it is right or wrong.

I think it is also safe to say that few people, here or elsewhere, 'choose' to undergo any form of transition with the intent of harming or lashing out against another person or group of people, be they women or men or androgynes or other identifying group.

Each of us has our own individual scale of what it will take for us to be comfortable within our own skins, some require only small superficial changes (i.e. cross-dressing in private on occasion) while others seek far more drastic measures. We can not judge what is right, wrong, good, bad, crazy, sick, or enviable for another person, only for ourselves. The rules here state that this is a support site.

Now, stepping off my soapbox. In response to Breastquest's question about broaching the topic of coming out to his sister as a means to help convince her to not undergo surgery for a BA. Only you can judge how she will accept the news. If she is open-minded and you mention it in manner that will not freak her out or sound condescending then it may well be a great experience. I am assuming that if you have any kind of direct relationship with her, she will likely eventually figure out what is going on - as those fleshy bumps alter the fit of your shirts. If you choose to come out, then I would recommend perhaps starting out with explaining what and why you are doing what you are doing. She may come out and ask how you are doing it which would be your in for explaining what you are doing to accomplish this goal. That may be all she needs to hear to dissuade her from seeking surgery.

As to your comments about only going to a certain point in development and then 'turning off' the growth. Ummm... I don't understand that one. To my knowledge no one has control over how much breast development they get, they will get as big or small as they are going to get. Perhaps with the exception of BA, and even then there are too many factors to dictate just how far they go.

[Farm Boy]

All the reasons why I hate mine have pretty much all been covered already...  Coming from someone who is attracted to men only, they don't do anything for me, on me or anyone else.  I hate the way they look, they distort the way my shirts should hang, and I really hate the way it feels when I run.  I don't swim in public pools any more because swimsuits are required, and I don't feel comfortable in them.  I'm lucky to be small, but that's not without problems either because I get suggestions on how to enlarge or better show them off, and all I want to say is DO NOT WANT.

[Breastquest]

Why is it that many males feel that they can take whatever they like from women? We have enough problems in this world operating as females, without having a man taking away another part of our identity for his own pleasure.

And just what is it that one man in this whole universe with breasts going to take from you? And what sort of problems do you have "operating" in this world? 

[Megan]

To be honest, I think moderate-average size breasts on a proportional body looks amazing, even  if its smaller than average.

But when it's too large (non-plastic) it looks like it would hurt, and when it is documented it looks fake.

[Arch]

Rhalkos, I believe I know exactly where you're coming from. I've read more feminist theory than I know what to do with. But I'm not going to get sucked into a whole blow-by-blow analysis of the merits of your statements. My last post (and my position as a moderator) is concerned with whether the people who come here for support are actually getting it--and whether they are being subjected to ad hominem attacks instead. Opinions are fine until they cross the line into personal attack. Your opinion is at least in the grey area, so please be careful.