My personal philosophy remains that it's more about shape than size. Basically, as soon as I looked in the mirror and thought "whoa, I'd do a double-take and ogle discreetly if those walked past," it was time to keep my shirt on. Unfortunately for me, given my pre-HRT development and how quickly everything perked up and stuck out, that was at like week 3! Oh, well.

However, I do disagree with one thing - if it's a place where it's legal for women to go topless and some women do, then doing so still clearly *is* something a woman does. (On the flip side, in I think it was Virginia, a trans woman was refused at the DMV when she went to change her gender marker... and then arrested when she took her shirt off outside to protest, despite the M remaining on her license. So doing it as a form of self-expression is valid but can be extra risky for anyone who is trans, given how the justice system can treat us.)

In some African cultures women do bare their breasts en mass as a sign of protest, but not for the right to go topless, rather it used as a way to show their displeasure with men and is a means of shaming them. Go figure. Who would have thought two little mounds of flesh and fat could cause, in one way or another, so much hysteria around the world.

QuoteMy personal philosophy remains that it's more about shape than size.

I completely agree. I can go to the pool and there are men with bigger boobs than mine, I can wear most shirts without any binding or anything and be just fine and stay in male mode, but I can't go shirtless without causing a huge scene! 

Quote from: Ms Grace on January 04, 2014, 02:32:48 PM
In some African cultures women do bare their breasts en mass as a sign of protest, but not for the right to go topless, rather it used as a way to show their displeasure with men and is a means of shaming them. Go figure. Who would have thought two little mounds of flesh and fat could cause, in one way or another, so much hysteria around the world.

+2 I agree, who would have thought?

By now everyone should know im not on hrt just yet, but my chest looks like a female chest though a bit flat. Idk why but my pectorals are a bit rounder than most but arent saggy like moobs. Its sooo weird. >_>

Quote from: Sarah Louise on January 02, 2014, 10:48:42 AM
To me, it would be as soon as you start hormones.

Most women don't go topless, except at a topless beach.  If you consider yourself to be a woman, act like a woman

What a sexist thing to say!

Women can do whatever they bloody well want to, unless its breaking the law!

I've gone topless at a beach, I've never been to a topless beach in my life.

I've gone topless at a pool party, gone naked for a large scale photoshoot as well.

They are just boobs, breasts, pockets of fat, if you're fine with walking around with them out, by all means do it, if you're not, don't.
But we should never tell another person to cover up or remove clothes as its call "personal choice".

My best friend gets worried showing more than a little bit of her boobs, me, I'm fine with bearing a bit more. each to their own.

Quote from: Nicole on January 04, 2014, 09:40:45 PM
What a sexist thing to say!

Women can do whatever they bloody well want to, unless its breaking the law!

I've gone topless at a beach, I've never been to a topless beach in my life.

I've gone topless at a pool party, gone naked for a large scale photoshoot as well.

They are just boobs, breasts, pockets of fat, if you're fine with walking around with them out, by all means do it, if you're not, don't.
But we should never tell another person to cover up or remove clothes as its call "personal choice".

My best friend gets worried showing more than a little bit of her boobs, me, I'm fine with bearing a bit more. each to their own.

Wow, agreed. I missed that on my first pass through this thread. Yeah, not only very sexist, but very limiting/narrow on how people can be trans

In my opinion it is never inappropriate to go topless. Boobs are boobs and it is insulting how sexualized society makes two lumps of fat intended to feed infants. Unless I'm having sex with someone it is just another body part to me.

Quote from: Nicole on January 04, 2014, 09:40:45 PM
What a sexist thing to say!

Women can do whatever they bloody well want to, unless its breaking the law!

I've gone topless at a beach, I've never been to a topless beach in my life.

I've gone topless at a pool party, gone naked for a large scale photoshoot as well.

They are just boobs, breasts, pockets of fat, if you're fine with walking around with them out, by all means do it, if you're not, don't.
But we should never tell another person to cover up or remove clothes as its call "personal choice".

My best friend gets worried showing more than a little bit of her boobs, me, I'm fine with bearing a bit more. each to their own.

I dont think its so much as keeping you down as it is being courteous to others who may feel ashamed looking at another person naked.
If your comfortable in your own skin and you dont mind people looking at you, then more power to you. But when someone else does not feel comfortable seeing a bare chest, it becomes an issue of sensitivity towards others.

Quote from: Violet Bloom on January 01, 2014, 11:01:28 PM
on Estrace for seven weeks there is clear change to my chest,

If you are taking Estrace, you should (a) keep covered like any other woman will normally do, or (b) if defiant of the prevailing laws, go topless when you feel the need. 

When your shape develops a bit more, you will no longer feel uncertain.

Just my opinion.

Quote from: Ashey on January 02, 2014, 03:48:31 AM
I have A-cups and puffy nipples.. it's enough to make me reflexively put my arm over them if I'm shirtless and outside my bedroom or bathroom. That's the indicator for me.

Ditto for me. I love wearing camisoles and such..but no one sees the girls unless that person is on the inside with me. This would include my bf, mother (a CRNA), and my neighbor who gives my injections. Anyone else is gonna have to earn it! 

(Damn..I had to edit this. I should qualify that I do get invited (albeit rarely) to the nude resorts and clubs here. That's where they seem to really work well. I just tuck *really* good and wear a bikini bottom and get by fine, though it's a bit tense). Keeps peoples eyes off 'downstairs'.

  I'm quite pleased how this discussion is shaping up.  It's also amusing how so many of you think I want to go around topless!  Not really what I was getting at but any help making me appear more bold is welcomed.   I never quite understood why there's always so much nudity at the Pride Parade because it doesn't seem to help getting the rest of the community to take it all seriously.  That said, if everyone was doing it already I probably would too just for fun.  Never been to one of these events yet but I'll probably go once.  World Pride 2014 is being held in Toronto this year so what better time to start.  Anyone making the trip?

Quote from: Michelle G on January 04, 2014, 02:22:31 AM
Tell me about it

  Careful where you point those things - you might put an eye out!

Nice way to go blind.

My personal take is women should never go topless whilst I am driving.  It is just dangerous.  Other than that...