Lemons vs. Watermelons: Do You Love Your Breasts?

Monday Apr 18, 2011 – by Arielle Loren

Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated with breasts for various reasons. My mother passed away from breast cancer. Yet, I remember prosthetic breasts lying atop her bathroom counters and watching her get dressed in the mornings. An unbreakable woman, she loved her natural breasts despite cancer’s misfortunes and remained confident in her body image even after the mastectomy. As a proud A-cup, I attribute my confidence to my mother and her openness about my body as a future woman. Since I was two years old, she taught me the names of all my body parts, breasts and vagina included. She believed that knowledge was power and open conversations on women’s bodies were essential. Her actions led me to love my body, regardless of anyone else’s opinion. There’s no greater gift than empowerment, particularly amongst women.

As the proud owner of caramel colored buds and daughter of a cancer fighter, I obviously have a deep appreciation for women’s breasts. Biologically, the two mounds upon our chests have defined our gender for centuries. Yet, culturally, they’ve grown to symbolize everything from sex appeal to new motherhood. While the media raves, “the larger the better,” I love my breasts and touch them everyday for a bit of narcissism.

From triple D to beautiful B-cups, I asked five women to share their breast stories. Some hilarious and others poignant, these women’s journeys are inspiring and an example of the conversations that should constantly live amongst women. In the words of a good friend, “We are the stories that we tell ourselves.” If nothing else, let these stories spark a laugh or a memory about your personal journey to loving your breasts. Even if it’s an ongoing struggle, be inspired.

“My love for my beautiful darling 34B cups wasn’t always so. In junior high school, a time when girls were blossoming, I was blatantly flat! Oh my nipples were there, but the ’round mounds’ were not. I watched the little boys constantly react to those girls and I thought, ‘there’s no tooth fairy but if there’s a breast fairy she sure needs to get her ass here and wave a wand over my bird chest.’ Like loose change purses on my chest, I’d stuff my bra with toilet paper that would inevitably peek or fall out at very inappropriate moments like playing dodge ball. Or when I finally got that cute boy to fondle me in the school staircase and he grabbed at my ‘perfect’ missile mounds only to discover that I duped him. EMBARRASSING to say the least. Fast forward to 2011, I love my breasts and body for me, first and foremost. They are healthy, and I really do like the size. My back doesn’t hurt, I can go bra-less, and they’re always perked present and accounted for.” ~ Aura Dynamo

“I’ve always had ‘Baywatch’ breasts in a not so beach body. As my weight ballooned so did my chest size, I started disliking them when they became a fashion obstacle and a constant conversation piece with men. After a certain size, it becomes very expensive to buy bras and the selection is extremely limited. Now that I am loosing weight they no longer seem to overpower my frame and I don’t feel defined by them anymore. My body perception is changing and I love them more. I see them as integral part of my anatomy and no longer a separate entity apart from me” ~ Lutze

“I do love my breasts because of the shape they give my body. I guess they’re the most visible cue of femininity. At some point, they’ll provide sustenance for my babies. I cherish them because it pains me to know that there are women who lose theirs to cancer. I don’t like the constriction of bras and take for granted that I don’t have to wear one all the time, except those two weeks when I’m ovulating. That’s when I most aware of them, I actually feel the weight of them. My relationship with my breasts started off as a love-confused relationship — why was one bigger than the other, why were my areolas so dark? Why are they so far apart? What’s up with those hairs around my nipple? Thankfully, puberty didn’t scar me. I love ‘Hefty Lefty’ and her smaller twin on the right.” ~ Abigail Ekue

“I grew up feeling very awkward about my boobs. I was self-conscious because breasts poke out from the body and anyone can see them — regardless of the size. So, I wore really baggy clothes to hide them. As I grew older, when I realized men actually really like them, I wanted mine to be bigger. Depending on the day and my weight, my size 34 twins are either a very heavy A or a comfortable B. In any case, my boobs are mine and I love them exactly as they are. Finally!” ~ Twanna Hines

“I am a 40 DDD and am 21 years old. I’ve always had big breasts, relative to my age and size, since I was about 10 years old. My breasts have brought me both positive and negative external reactions from people. Women have policed the way I dress (‘cover those up! That is inappropriate you look unprofessional’) and men have sexualized my body in contexts in which my body parts should have remained irrelevant. This has caused me to have some mixed feelings regarding my breasts. However, as a result of the dirty F word, feminism, I have come to appreciate and purge myself of any gendered and internalized self loathing.” ~ Adwoa Asante

Share your journey, past or ongoing, toward loving your breasts!

N says:

April 22, 2011 at 4:13 pm

I agree with AY. I discovered that having a baby really changes your breasts. I’ve been wearing a D since my late teens, and post baby I went to a 40D, then down to a 36DD where I’ve been since. I found it strange that men hit on me while I was pregnant–one time a guy actually told me that he wished that I was his baby Moms. WTF? I told him I’m somebody’s wife. Once I got over that shock, I found it even more strange that men hit on me while I had a young baby in tow. I think some of that is because in our community people assume that women pushing carriages are still available..but that’s another disussion.

Having always had a larger bosom, I’ve always had to deal with other people’s insecurities about them. For example, I’m from a family of daughters, and my mother insisted that we wore bras around the house at all times, even to sleep.
I did this for years, until my boyfriend, now husband, mentioned that it was weird. My mother was always afraid someone would take advantage of us, and no one passed scrutiny, including my pops, so we were always fully supported at home.
I also grew up going to my mother’s very strict apostolic church where wearing a slit in your skirt could get you a talking to, so any kind of low cut, revealing, suggestive clothing was out. Didn’t want to tempt the 10 or 15 boys who attended the church. (The ratios of men to women in church is quite startling..)

I can’t front, as an adult, I spend a lot of time wishing they were smaller. Not because I’m uncomfortable with them, but just because they add some much more to me. I’ve lost a lot of weight since having my son, but I can’t fit many of my shirts. Some of my dresses would zip if it weren’t for my breasts. In addition, I always find that my friends are suprised from time to time when and/of if I wear a low cut shirt. They seem not realize that they’re there until they’re on display, and from time to time they’ll make comments like…’Wow’. Or they’ll just kind of glance and look away. Again, this doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable, they’re part of me, but it’s still…
They look good in bikinis though….one upside.

I don’t know if this has to do with size, but I breastfed my son from 18 months. I never had a supply problem. In fact, I probably could’ve given some of my milk away. Having checked out the cost of formula, this was a blessing I didn’t know I wanted, and I’m happy to have had it.

End of the day though, my husband likes them so he’s the only fan I guess I have to worry about.

↑ Reply

Boober says:

April 23, 2011 at 5:07 am

I think having boobs are the greatest! I love mines! I think as long as you are in a “A” cup that that is cool. I dont know what cup that is when you are as flat as a man I guess trainers. When little rose buds dont ever reach their peaks! You have to literally help Jericho get off the island! LOL

There is nothing with breast implants if that is what one chooses to have also. It is just where to me when people what to breast feed silicone to their babes! Weird!

Afterall, aint no mountain ever really high enough! Or valley low! LOL

Whoa_Mama says:

April 23, 2011 at 9:15 pm

I totally feel those girls on this one. I am a hefty size F. YES. Them thangs exist. And I’m only 19 years old. For years I had to deal with my body being overly sexualized by men. They are conversation starters, unfortunately, with males and females. I attend a University and I have to deal with the stares, the whispers, points and the dreaded: “AYE! Lil Mama with them big titties!” It was something I had to learn to deal with over time since I always had such huge breasts. Now, whenever someone mentions them, I try to make a joke, laugh it off, or even tell the person “Please, let’s not talk about my breasts.” They are beautiful, and I do love them. But they are not the only great thing about me.
PS. I do not have health issues because of them. C:

Good grief says:

April 24, 2011 at 12:13 am

Whoa mama i didnt know it was possible for a gal to carry knockers that big! do they even make bras in that size?

alotofcomments says:

April 27, 2011 at 2:04 pm

There was so many alot of comments about the breasteses! That is one thing that women talk about a lot is the breasteses and the butoxeses! LOL And, the size and the admirations lol.I think all sizes are fine except for when you are in your trainers at you have stop growing it must be irritating to not even be able to fill out an a cup.That is the amazing thing about being a woman how everyone is different so many different sizes and shapes. lol I understand why some women who are flat as a man would want to feel more feminine with some added boobers. BUt, I think evenif you are in trainers you should value and appreciate what you have. But, its nice when you have them! LOL it apart of feeling feminine in a physical sense.