It’s 2018 and the need to body shame women is, believe it or not, stronger than ever. What’s worse, is when women do this to each other. Hell no! No matter what your size. If you are proud of your breasts, no matter what size they are, it’s your right to do whatever you want. Further comments are made in a sarcastic tone. ‘Trying to get yourself a fella tonight Jana?’ and ‘Babe, you’ll take an eye out with those, put them away’. Cue laughter. Does he have a point? Why do we latch on to one asset and feel the need to draw everyone’s attention to it?

Have you ever noticed the glare you get when you walk into a room? Not the warm glow of outfit approval, or the admiring eyes of a gentlemen giving you the full up and down appreciatively. It’s OK to have a body part we’re proud of. For some it’s their eyes, or their legs, or their large lips. You’re not doing this for anyone but yourself. You want to look how you feel. Like a woman in charge. Sexy. Capable. Aware of her assets and not afraid to show them off — physical or otherwise. You take yourself off to the bathroom and take a long hard look in the mirror. Do I look like a slut? Am I trying too hard to get attention? You start questioning yourself over something that will later feel so trivial, but for tonight, sits on your shoulders like a terrible weight. Elsewhere, big breasts can make dressing for an event hard. If you wear something loose to avoid highlighting your boobs, the fabric tends to hang off them and make you seem larger. If you wear tight fabric around your boobs, you look more cinched in the waist and it forms a more flattering silhouette.

It’s a big night for you. When it comes to your diet, you’ve practically been a nun this week, keeping it strictly healthy. You’ve avoided any form of food that may leave you bloated, or heaven forbid gassy, to complement your chosen outfit.

You’ve spent time on your hair and makeup, and the spritz of expensive perfume may have hurt when you initially handed over the credit card, but the scent has set a mood for you. One of my closest male friends likes to often quote, “ain’t nobody hate a woman, like another woman”. You take that first step and you’re greeted by beautiful friends who compliment you on your outfit, laugh with you about something that happened recently and introduce you to someone in the group you haven’t met before. I’ve also watched my Aunt sadly pass away from breast cancer, and this past year I’ve seen my own mum battle with the horrid disease and come out the other side. I’m talking about that other feeling. The feeling of judgment, hostility and displacement. It’s coming from a female. Usually one with a partner nearby, and more often than not, she is someone you would consider a friend.

I studied hard and earnt a place at university. I strived to gain my dream job and I’ve saved to travel to the most amazing places around the world. I’m not my boobs, they’re just something I like.