Almost every morning I squirm into my gc2b half binder. It feels important to wear it when I’m seeing the person I’m dating or if I have plans to hang out with people I want to impress. For me, its tightness and its compression have become synonymous with feeling my best, and putting that version of myself forward into the world.
Sometimes though, the feeling goes down in reverse: I wear my chest binder in the hope that I can create the kind of day that feels good and righteous and congruent amid weird gender feelings — that is, gender dysphoria, a conflict between the gender someone is and the body they inhabit. Here's everything you need to know about what chest binding is, as well as how to safely do it.
What is chest binding?
“Binding is the practice of compressing chest tissue into a flatter shape,” explains Zil Goldstein (she/her), Associate Director of Medicine for Transgender and Gender Nonbinary Health at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center. It is most often practiced among those assigned female at birth (AFAB) who are seeking to achieve a more traditionally masculine or less feminine look and to minimize their chest profile. These goals generally align with transmasculine or nonbinary identified individuals.
What are the benefits of chest binding?
In practice, wearing a chest binder can have important, positive effects on psychological wellness. For trans and nonbinary individuals, a flattened chest can allow a person to present as more masculine or less feminine. Goldstein broke down this affirmation, explaining, “Trans people feel affirmed when they’re seen as the correct gender and that affirmation goes a long way in terms of people being able to take care of themselves….It helps people to be more confident and to be able to go about their lives.”
There are, however, some inherent challenges in terms of binding comfort. “The thing that I hear from my patients over and over is that it is uncomfortable and it can cause back pain. Sometimes, people are binding too tight and it can restrict their breathing.” Despite the physical discomforts associated with binding, Goldstein explains that it is extremely meaningful that her patients feel better binding than not.
Experts recommend using a garment made intentionally for chest binding rather than alternative approaches, which include layering up shirts, sports bras or athletic gear, wrapping the chest with fabric bandages or various tapes, or creating a garment out of denim, tights, or swimsuits. But with specific-use garments available from companies like gc2b and Underworks, DIY methods are less commonly recommended. “There are a whole bunch of ways people do it, but you can cause a little bit more harm, restrict your breathing more, cause muscle sprains and strains, and it’s generally more comfortable when using the right kind of binding garments,” says Goldstein.
Are there any risks?
Sarah Peitzmeier (she/her) is an assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing, member of the Binding Health Project, and the lead author of a 2016 study that examined 28 different negative health outcomes among people who bind. Though the study reports that discomfort is quite common, of the 1800 participants, only 2.8 percent had rare and severe outcomes like rib fractures, making clear that binding is not inherently harmful and that simple practices can keep discomfort at bay.
It is important to note that during the COVID-19 pandemic, it's important to take extra caution when practicing chest binding to ensure that you are taking care of your respiratory health. Goldstein previously told Allure, "Binding is perfectly safe right now. If you’re healthy, if you don’t have any exposure to [COVID-19], you’re not having trouble breathing, there’s no reason not to bind." However, if you have respiratory conditions, or worry that you may have COVID-19, it is advised you hold off on binding for this time period. Read more about this in our full story on binding during the novel coronavirus outbreak here.
Unsurprisingly, there is a shortage of research on the subject. In the time since the groundbreaking 2016 study, Peitzmeier’s research has evolved to investigate how to help individuals make better choices in binding. “Without that data, people may want to reduce their risks but don't know how,” she told us. Additionally, her research-in-progress focuses on the narrative behind binding. “It's moving to hear about how binding has played a large role in many people's lives in helping them explore their gender in meaningful ways,” she says.
Peitzmeier wants to make clear that when addressing the risks, it is important to remember the critical role binding has for the health and safety of many trans and nonbinary folks. “For those with intense dysphoria, we saw that binding might dramatically reduce suicidality, anxiety, depression, and dysphoria. It could be literally lifesaving for them,” she says.
Talking to a health care provider about binding can be tough, especially when those providers are not even aware of binding as a practice. For example, Peitzmeier’s 2016 study, reported that 82 percent of people who bind thought it was important to discuss binding with their health care provider, but only 15 percent actually did so. To better the experiences patients have with their binding health, Peitzmeier envisions a medical environment where providers are ready, willing, and able to “talk through what the person's goals are around binding and gender expression, talk in an evidence-based way about risks (rather than fear-mongering), and help the person make a plan to accomplish as many of their goals as possible with the least amount of risk.”
OK, so how do you properly bind?
If you’re ready to bind, it’s key to find the right one and wear it properly. There are a few agreed-upon best practices: wear your binder for no more than eight to 12 hours at a time, don’t sleep in it, ensure you wash your binder regularly, and make sure you wear one that’s the right size (not too small). Peitzmeier also recommends that you try to take days off from wearing it, if possible.
Marli Washington (he/him), Design Director, CEO, and owner of gc2b binders explains that the brand’s binders are designed to be as simple as possible and pulled-over like a tank top. According to the brand’s sizing guidelines, the binder should not cause excessive discomfort or dig into your skin. Though not a medical resource, gc2b is a trans-owned business that offers generous customer service in case you need to return exchange your binder, inclusive sizing (XXS-5XL), a variety of “nude” colored binders that reflect a variety of skin tones, and house a forum for community-based discussion.
Typical binders cost around $30, though if that’s cost-prohibitive, Callen-Lorde’s Safer Binding guide points to resources that offer monthly binder giveaways, binder exchanges, and online communities like Binder Boys that can help you get a binder freely or cheaply.
Whether binding is a daily practice for the foreseeable future or a temporary solution to quell dysphoria, it has the power to give trans and nonbinary folks much-needed affirmation, safety, and empowerment.
Read more stories about gender:
- Need Scientific Proof That Gender-Neutral Language Is Important? Here You Go
- Why I Marked "F" as the Gender on My License Even Though I'm Nonbinary
- What It's Like to Be Transgender and Face Dysphoria and Body Dysmorphia at the Same Time
Now, watch a metastatic breast cancer's patient journey in six photos:
