Cultural Double Standards and Nipple Stigma

Ladies…what is the first thing you do when you get home after a long day?

First, you probably take off your shoes, and secondly… you remove your bra, right? Whew! What a relief! 

That is your body communicating with you! We put up with minor discomforts all day long to be "socially acceptable," and yet the source of this particular minor discomfort (the bra!) may be causing us undue harm in the long term. 

Sydney Ross Singer, my guest today, has been researching the link between bras and breast cancer for decades, and according to him, bras should come with a warning label like cigarettes do. Wow! Get ready for some mind blowing statistics, an insider’s scoop into the business side of our medical system and the physiological rationale behind the international free-the-nipple movement.

After receiving graduate training in biochemistry and being awarded his master’s degree in anthropology from Duke University, Sydney Ross Singer decided to pursue a career in the new and emerging field of medical anthropology. To better understand how culture and environment affects human health, he went on to complete three years of medical school at the University of Texas to become one of the first medically trained anthropologists in the United States.

In this episode we discuss the physiological, cultural and psychological impacts of the bra along with its complex history and modern multi-million dollar industry. Sydney believes that the root cause of breast pain, cysts, edema and cancer is directly linked to the bra's restriction of critical lymphatic circulation. Sydney explains his unconventional breast cancer research and tell us about his life experiences as an explorer of human culture and "cancelled" member of modern medicine. You'll hear my personal synopsis of my past two months of living bra-free (spoiler alert: I LOVE it!) as well as my perspective as a woman on this charged issue.

You can learn more about Sydney's work at BrasAndBreastCancer.org and his absolute must-read book, Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras, which he co-authored with his wife, Soma Grismaijer. If you feel passionate about this topic, can join their international Bra Free self-reported study at brafreestudy.com to further this important research!

Please subscribe, share and leave a review to let me know what you thought about this episode! I love your feedback and I hope this conversation sparks your inspiration :)

TIME STAMPS

00:11:05 Animal Testing In Medicine

00:14:05 Culturogenic Disease

00:22:54 The Bra-Breast Cancer Correlation

00:26:25 The Mysterious Lymphatic System

00:32:38 The Dangers Of Your Bra

00:40:40 Signs That Your Bra Is Causing A Problem

00:47:09 Reconnecting With Our Bodies

00:51:57 The Bra In Psychology And Culture

00:53:41 Amy’s Testimony To The Braless Lifestyle

00:59:35 Nipple Phobia And Double Standards

01:02:58 The General Rule

01:09:42 Cancel Culture And Industry Interference

01:15:18 Our Medical Corporatocracy 

01:22:42 Where To Find Syd

You can find Amy at amyfournier.com and watch this episode on Awakening Aphrodite Podcast/FitAmyTV! For special discounts on her FAVORITE products, visit her affiliate page!