"Subway shirt"
"Subway shirt" is a strategy women use to protect themselves from unpleasant looks, comments etc. when they wear something that is likely to attract such looks, comments etc. in our society. What made me think again about it is the arrival of Spring when I wear less.
I wear less to connect with myself and with Nature. I also wear less for ecological reasons, as I want to avoid inviting into my wardrobe the items that I can live happily without. Every day, I wear a uniform that consists of sweatpants, a basic top, and a loose linen shirt. I do not wear a bra and haven't worn it since my early 20s. For me, it is an act of everyday activism and an act of self-care and self-love. I do this to feel comfortable and to take part in normalisation of not wearing a bra. This is not to say that people should stop wearing a bra. Rather, it is to say that I believe strongly that it should be each person's own decision. Not wearing a bra, in my 15 or so years of experience of avoiding this item of clothing, attracts looks. At times, I feel supportive and solidaric looks from fellow women. At other times, I encounter objectifying looks from men. I notice that I would have worn the loose shirt much less if I didn't feel the need to protect myself from such looks. I dream about the world where I can wear only my sweatpants and a basic top. I want to say that I do not care, but I still do. I feel safer when I walk around or am in a bar with my partner. Not long ago as we were walking by our university a fellow human looked at my chest in such a way that my partner helped me put on a shirt. I feel sorrow about this.