1. Binding

I was given my first binder about a year ago and I loved it. I like the flat appeal and the ability to wear tighter shirts without the bulge of my boobs. Thankfully, I don't have a large chest to begin with, but after working out consistently, I have noticed my boobs "shrink" for a lack of a better term. But with working out the size of the binder no longer fits me. Its too damn tight and it gives me major back pain after only a few hours in it. And if anyone reading this has binded, you know the process it is to put on a binder. It starts with ya arms up, getting stuck right across your chest, to reaching your arm behind your back to pull down the binder. Literally, it's a whole process. Too, my acne became worse as binding literally had no air flow between the binder and my skin. So, warm weather, tight compression, and sweat equals more acne than I have now with being about six months on T.

2. Bras

Honestly when was the last time I bought a bra? I'm not talking about a workout bra, I'm talking about one of those cup bras. Laugh all you want but the idea of me in one of those lace cup bras is far from my style, but I used to wear them. I was very feminine and shopped at Victoria Secret and now I wouldn't be caught dead in there unless I had a significant other. But the last time I found myself shopping for a bra like that would have been at least five years ago and the last time I bought a sports bra would have been at least four years ago.

So, all in all my bras are old, they are tight, and they look absolutely ridiculous with my body type. Have I felt the need to buy another bra or maybe one that is my size? No, not really. Why? Because I will not look at myself in them. I see a guy (on my good days) and I find it humiliating to see myself in a bra. I have become much broader after working out that bras just do not fit my proportions. Not only that, there are so many different sports bras now. Back when I shopped for bras, there were just the traditional two thick straps, but now there's the criss-cross strap, thin strap, deep v, and many others. (Yes, welcome to Dicks Sporting Goods where you can find all of these and many more at Dicks.com).

3. Tape

When I found out tape was another form of binding, I was ecstatic. Not every person can bind with tape, but I was fortunate to do so until my skin started to react otherwise. I didn't have any issues during the summer, but with the colder weather, my skin has become insanely dry. My skin is naturally dry and wearing the tape for multiple days caused major dry, itching and burning of the skin. Currently, I have been healing from this for a month, so even wearing a bra irritates it, but I don't feel as though I can go without wearing some sort of support. Although I love wearing tape, beware of wearing tape for too long or peeling tape off too fast as you could result in this.

4. No Support Is The Best Support

I am most confident when I do not wear any form of binding or support. Although I hide my chest in all pictures, I do like the gains I have been making at the gym to see my shoulders, back, and chest become broader. So support yourself and your confidence and go without. One day I will look into top surgery, but right now I have a lot more to gain.