The article chronicles the author’s journey with wearing bras from childhood to adulthood, culminating in a dramatic shift during the Covid-19 pandemic. After contracting long Covid, she endured significant pain that made wearing traditional bras unbearable. During lockdown, she found solace in not wearing a bra, experiencing freedom from discomfort. As she prepared to re-enter the world, she faced the challenge of balancing the societal expectations of wearing bras while managing her ongoing symptoms, eventually exploring alternatives that still caused discomfort.
I had contracted Covid, which turned into long Covid; among an ever-rotating inventory of symptoms, one was an intense pain in my sternum... every time I tried to put on a bra, it would make it even worse.
I stopped wearing a bra in lockdown. It felt like a luxury: a brief reprieve from intricate hooks, wires digging into my skin, and straps that were somehow too tight and too loose.
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