The Impact of Society’s Beauty Standards: A Personal Story About Boobs

I have a vivid memory of my father and mother arguing over my clothing choices.

My father believed that my clothes were too revealing and inappropriate, while my mother thought that I was still a child and my clothes were fine. Although I understand that my father was just being overprotective and holding onto traditional beliefs, I can’t help but question why the responsibility of controlling men’s sexual thoughts and behaviors was being placed on my body. It’s a societal issue, not a personal one.

Since the age of 11, I’ve been aware of men staring at me. My body developed rapidly, with a little waist that curved into hips too mature for my age, and C-cup breasts that seemingly appeared overnight. I recall the moment when I was in the bubble bath and looked down, feeling like I had woken up in a completely different world. While my friends were still wearing training bras, I was already shopping for a real bra with support and underwire to accommodate my much too full breasts. They would ask me what it felt like, expressing envy that I got attention from all the boys, and I would laugh it off, saying, “Yeah, I know, right?” But why should I be made to feel responsible for the way men choose to look at me?