8th Grade DD Hailee Accused of Bra Stuffing
September 12th, 2007
Story submitted by Hailee, 27 years old, Charleston West Virginia
Posted with permission via Hiddenfeet posting rules & Legal Disclaimer.
Dear Hiddenfeet,
True story. I got this note with the bra size scale below passed to me in 8th grade. My breasts we a DD at the time. Girls would ask me what size I was and being the naive kid I was at the time, I would tell them DD without batting an eye.
The other girls were jealous of my size and while they would pretend to be impressed, they would tell the boys that I was stuffing my bra.
Bra Size Scale:
A-Absent
B-Barely There
C-Can’t Complain
D-Damn
DD-Double Damn - Unless you are Hailee and stuff
F-Fake
Weird as it might seem, I saved and memorized the note, showed it to my father and told him I wanted a reduction. My father was a man of few words but I could tell he wasn’t too keen on the idea. Looking back I am proud to have the relationship with my father that I did. I could always talk to him about what was happening in my life. He took me to see a friend of a friend of his who was a board certified plastic surgeon and experienced with breast augmentation. It wasn’t long before I realized that a reduction just didn’t seem like the great idea I thought it would be. The doctor was concerned that my breasts might still be growing and that surgery would be best delayed till later in my high school years to avoid complications.
I stayed busy with choir and kept my grades up. Like many of the girls posting comments on Hiddenfeet, the importance of my breasts faded. They might have been the topic of conversation for my classmates but my focus on school work prevented me from noticing. And I think things - not getting a reduction - worked out for the best.
As for the note - you can see the stereo-typing that boys and girls make. I know girls grow sizes as large as F cup and like your Hiddenfeet Survey documents, people everywhere assume that a large boob is fake. The words fake, or stuffing, or plastic or bimbo are hurtful. I can remember a note like this from over a decade ago but can’t remember the names of my teachers. These hurtful words stick with us.
I am almost certain that I have the note saved in a scrap book somewhere and I’ll scan it into my computer and email it to you Sara.
Hailee, Charleston West Virginia
Just like you Hailee, I thought long and hard about getting a reduction many years ago. But the number of problems that can occur after breast reduction surgery was not for me. Breastfeeding may not be possible afterwards. The scars from the incisions usually fade in 6–12 months, but can become thickened and unsightly. The incisions may take a long time to heal, especially round the nipple, and the central part of the incision in the crease line. There is also a risk of infection and internal bleeding. Exercise is the best thing for your breasts. It builds strong bones, abdominal muscles, and reduces body fat.
The problem is that breasts have been overly sexualized in Western culture making them too big a part of a girls life. I remember learning about boobs when I was in elementary school from “the boys.” Boobs start out - and continue throughout life - as being anything but “respected.”
Boobs are a part of our bodies that undergo noticeable change when we are young. That change attracts attention. Grade school girls will often stay the same height and weight while growing 2-3 cup sizes. Boys notice this change. Boys even notice the lack of change in other girls making their lives difficult. We can’t win.
Schools need breast support groups for parents and their daughters to learn everything they can about the psychology of dealing with these social situations.
And if you think boobs alter social situations only when we are younger - think again. The modern day work place is no different. Men and women act like children around big boobs.
Hailee were you taking the pill when your breasts started growing? I was taking Lo/Ovral-28 contraceptive pill when I was 16 and I grew 2 cup sizes. Went from A to C. Noticeable on my small body. Most of my friends grew boobs while on the pill also.
Amy - I was not on the pill but many of my girlfriends were. They grew big boobs too…but not as large as mine. I have researched this and discovered that the extent to which breast size increases depends both on the women and the type of birth control pill she uses. Estrogen and progestin, the hormones found in birth control pills, can lead to an increase in breast size but the catch is that it generally reverses after a few cycles or when the woman goes off the pill. One reason the breasts become larger and feel engorged is because the hormones in the pill cause edema, or fluid retention. When this is the case, breasts often feel smaller when not taking the pill. Any other fat gained in the breast is usually a result of overall weight gain.
The exact link to breast growth and estrogen / progestin is still a medical mystery. The scientist who discovers the exact chemical that can trigger breast growth will no doubt patent it and become one of the richest people in the world.
As for why my boobs grew when they did? I have no idea!
Oh the stories I can tell about school yard bullies! I do know for certain one girl who used to tease me about my boobs got implants after high school. Isn’t that quaint?
I have always believed that bulling is a result of people’s own insecurities. Or something they don’t understand. I never see happy and secure people criticizing or making fun.
Boys always make jokes. I remember talking to another girl in class about trying on bras only to have a boy come up and ask if he could “help.” He said while giggling “you will have my full support.” Get it? Full support…well I guess it is funny.
Yes, kids can be QUITE hurtful. Even adults can be so. Been there, seen it, been guilty of accusing someone of stuffing, too… (Later, it was proven factual), but have defended friends who were the real deal and, looking back, probably should have asked them out.. they got hooked with players, and butt-nuts, the fools!
Anyways, not to ramble on, Hang in there. Good call, on your father’s part, at least getting you educated to make a decision to not get it done - Bravo.
I feel the same way, I went through the same thing. I still am going through it a bit actually. The fake comment used to hurt, but I don’t mind as much anymore. I always think though, if they weren’t real why would I choose to look ridiculously out of proportion?
I go to an all girls school and had girls tease me but it has stopped. One girl who teased me two years ago is growing her boobs and is now almost as big as me. Im not friends with her but at least she can understand what I go through. I think she stays away from me and is close with her own circle of friends because she would get teased more by other girls if the two of us spent time together. We would both be targets of the other mean girls.