[Episode 30] Challenging the Stigma Around Chest Talk

In this episode we will be taking a look at the stigma associated with talking positively about chests of AFAB non binary, gender diverse and trans folks.

To be clear, I’m gonna be talking about boobs. If you are someone that feels uncomfortable by this, maybe this isn’t the episode for you, or maybe it is and you may learn about how to feel better about your chest.

It seems to me that chests are only allowed to be mentioned by AFAB gender diverse and trans masc folks in a negative way.

Too often gender diverse experiences are being gate kept by folks that may be experiencing body dysphoria. It’s totally ok to have a chest and feel good about it. This is not talked about enough.

You don’t have to be ok with your chest but other people are allowed to be ok with theirs. Be open to hearing their experiences without making it about you.

There are so many ways that the TGD community can experience their bodies and transitioning.

We need to celebrate all the forms of self expression that our community pursues. However you may decide to explore your identity just know that it is NOT set in stone.

One way that you may have chosen to express yourself may stop feeling good for you or no longer aligns with who you are. Feel good about changing these things.

I’ve done my fair share of exploration of things that have and haven’t worked for me over the past 4 years as I’ve transitioned. I used to feel good about binding and packing but over time, I’ve felt doing either of these has caused me more discomfort than good feelings about  how I’m expressing myself.

Now I’m at a point where I am happy with my chest exactly as it is. I don’t bind any more, I have no longer have the desire to follow any medical avenues (18 months ago, I had the opposite opinion).

If you’re wondering where I was able to grab affirming gear from here in Australia I went through Sock Draw Heroes a trans owned and operated small business based in Sydney Australia.

I grabbed all my binding and packing gear from them. As a side note, I’m not paid or an affiliate of their page, I just love what they do and how they are supporting so many folks in the Australian TGD community.

What’s important is to support others through these experiences. It’s not ok to judge someone else because how they are choosing to transition, may not be how you are transitioning.

I’ve seen so many threads in “support” groups where people have expressed their experience of feeling good about their bodies as they are and had very hostile responses. This is not ok.

I’ve been on the receiving end of judgement for transitioning non medically when I’ve shared my experience and asked if there are other people doing something similar.

Lateral violence within our community is harmful to all of us, not just the person on the receiving end of the attack.

It’s so important that if you are feeling triggered by someone’s experience, that you take steps to manage yourself. Projecting your shit onto someone is just uncool.

If you see someone sharing about their body euphoria or non medical transition in a thread, support them friends. It takes a lot to share these things, especially when they are not seen as the most common way to transition or experience being trans or gender diverse.