I love my girlfriend so much, she is literally my world to me and today she told me that she has chest dysphoria and that she doesn't like having her boobs seen when wearing clothes and it makes her socially anxious and uncomfortable, she currently is gender fluid/androgynous and perfers to wear boy/unisex tops/shirts and girl bottoms. My girlfriend is fine with her bottom but dislikes her chest, she says she may even get top surgury someday in the future and now we're talking about chest binders. She says most hurt and make her breasts saggy. Does anyone know any that don't? How do I help her and be a good, supporive girlfriend?
Have you asked for preferred pronouns and labels? Some gender fluid/androgynous people are OK with gendered pronouns and labels, but it's still a thing to ask. Gender neutral pronouns are like "they/them" and "xe/xem" and gender neutral labels are like "S.O. (significant other)" or simply "date"/"partner". As for the chest dysphoria, how about bra binding? Binders should not hurt, and binding with sports bras usually hurt less. here's a guide: How to Bind Your Chest: 10 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow
Noooo, well, from my experience, it really depends on how many bras you use and how tight those bras are. I wear only sports bras, and I have very small breasts (somewhere between AA and A). But when I tried layering the sports bras, it either didn't work OR it hurt like the devil :***: - so be careful!
I read somewhere that binding shouldn't hurt. It should feel tight, but it shouldn't hurt. And you can't keep it on 24/7, unfortunately, or else it may start causing damage to your ribs. I think a lot of us want to bind until our chest is COMPLETELY flat, but if you look at cis men's chests, you see that they aren't THAT flat. The purpose of binding IS to flatten your chest, but not completely - you know?
Binding shouldn't hurt or restrict breathing. It should feel tight but comfortable. Make sure she buys one that is the correct size for her. If it uncomfortable there are ones made of different materials that may be more flexible and cause less irritation. I personally use bra binding and I find that it helps to put on a thin, tight tank top under the bra to have a better effect. Just by bringing this up onthe forum you sound like a great gf. Keep the communication open between the two of you so that she knows she has your support and help.
Just be being here and asking for advice for her is super supportive and thoughtful I've heard basically only good things about Underworks, and if they are the right size, no binders should hurt. As far as sagging, I'm not sure. Binding even a few days a week is probably going to flatten them considerably : / And besides binders, I found this guide on how to pick out the right type/ shape of male clothing SUPER helpful 9even though I haven't started binding yet ) The FTM's Complete Illustrated Guide to Looking Like a (Hot) Dude It's a crapton o'info but it explains WHY not just what to do. The 10-12 step Wikihows on the subject just don't get the nuances of being non-binary >_<
