'I Completely Stopped Wearing Bra During The Pandemic': How Harnessing Breasts Became Redundant
Women are now at a stage where they have worn a mask more than a bra in the last one year.
"You don't have to wear it if you don't want to," a friend told me while I was rolling my eyes about that one unnecessary piece of clothing I am expected to wear.
I was in Goa and couldn't care less. So, I stepped out braless and headed straight to a bar, and believe me, that was a moment of liberalisation I waited my entire life.
One of the casualties of the pandemic was the bra -- a garment much-hated and much-loved at the same time.
The pandemic was a blessing in disguise for most women. Touted as one of the most essential pieces of clothing, bra has remained a bane for young women who don't prefer to be harnessed. Being stuck at home for months (now a year), brasserie became redundant when women decided to ditch it for good.
A number of young working professionals who couldn't imagine stepping out without a bra, have now stopped wearing it even when going out to buy groceries or just taking a stroll in nature.
Women's reliance on real bras changed the moment pandemic kicked in and staying indoors was the only option, a 180 degree change in everyday lifestyle.
Once unclasped, a moment of realisation struck scores of women, including me, that they are not hooking this monstrous piece of clothing around their breasts again. Women are now at a stage where they have worn a mask more than a bra in the last one year -- and that's how the bra was declared cancelled.
In a world, where one can't tell if you're wearing pyjamas or sitting in undies during a virtual meeting, going bra-free became a risk-free and comfortable choice for many.
"I completely stopped wearing a bra during the pandemic," exclaims Manimanjari Sengupta, a 30-year-old independent artist and a full-time illustrator based in Delhi, echoing thoughts of millions of other women.
"Ditching the bra was something that was reserved only for winter months (layering FTW). It was incredibly freeing to be able to let my tits hang loose. Stuck indoors away from public life also meant being able to avoid the constant scrutiny that women¡¯s bodies are subjected to - I felt my body flourish away from the unwanted male gaze," she says, adding that not wearing a bra for months made her question why she wore them at all.
Like millions of women who have been conditioned to wear a bra as a necessity as soon as they hit puberty, and later question the patriarchy associated with it, Manimanjari also found herself fighting the social system that dictates women's lives and their bodies.
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Pondering if she wore a bra for support or comfort, Manimanjari questions if by wearing a bra we ¡°cater to the internalised patriarchy that continues to police women¡¯s bodies and dictates how we are supposed to present ourselves.¡±
What¡¯s certain is that going braless is a redemption.
Manika Parasher, a 28-year-old media professional based in Bangalore, had been looking for silver linings during the lockdown because "how else do you get through it?"
For her, not wearing a bra was one.
"At some point I went out without one, without giving it too much thought because I was too lazy to wear one just for a small errand. And that is when I realised how absolutely amazing that was," she bursts out in absolute joy.
And how does she deal with the male gaze?
"As for people staring, they do that for 50000 reasons to any and everyone. How does it matter if they have one more?"
Fair point, Manika. We give zero fucks too.
