Editing Breast (section)

===Clothing===
{{See also|Bra|List of bra designs|Cleavage (breasts)|Toplessness|Modesty|Naturism|Exhibitionism}}
[[File:Namibie Himba 0716a.jpg|thumb|left|upright|A bare-breasted [[Himba people|Himba]] woman of northern Namibia wears a traditional headdress and skirt]]

Because breasts are mostly fatty tissue, their shape can—within limits—be molded by clothing, such as [[foundation garment]]s. [[Bra]]s are commonly worn by about 90% of Western women,<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.1stbras.com/bra-cup-sizes.php |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160308210937/http://www.1stbras.com/bra-cup-sizes.php |url-status = usurped |archive-date = 8 March 2016 |title = Bra Cup Sizes—getting fitted with the right size |publisher = 1stbras.com |access-date = 11 May 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.liv.com/right_bra.php |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090328083521/http://www.liv.com/right_bra.php |url-status = dead |archive-date = 28 March 2009 |title = The Right Bra |publisher = Liv.com |access-date = 11 May 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/breast-supporting-act-a-century-of-the-bra-5334510.html |title = Breast supporting act: a century of the bra |date = 15 August 2007 |publisher = The Independent UK |access-date = 11 May 2010 |location = London |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305101134/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/breast-supporting-act-a-century-of-the-bra-5334510.html |archive-date = 5 March 2016 |url-status = live |df = dmy-all }}</ref> and are often worn for support.<ref>{{cite journal |pmc = 2275741 |pmid = 18339205 |doi = 10.1186/1746-1340-16-1 |volume = 16 |title = Breast size, bra fit and thoracic pain in young women: a correlational study |year = 2008 |journal = Chiropr Osteopat |pages = 1 |last1 = Wood |first1 = K |last2 = Cameron |first2 = M |last3 = Fitzgerald |first3 = K |doi-access = free }}</ref> The [[social norm]] in most [[Western culture]]s is to cover breasts in public, though the extent of coverage varies depending on the social context. Some religions ascribe a special status to the female breast, either in formal teachings or through symbolism.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Worshipping Breasts in the Maternal Landscape of India |journal=South Asian Studies |date=27 October 2015 |volume=31 |issue=2015 |doi=10.1080/02666030.2015.1094209 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02666030.2015.1094209 |access-date=30 September 2020 |last1=Bohidar |first1=Anannya |pages=247–253 |s2cid=194282633 |archive-date=2 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102165529/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02666030.2015.1094209 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref> [[Islam]] forbids free women from exposing their breasts in public.

Many cultures, including Western cultures in North America, associate breasts with sexuality and tend to regard bare breasts as [[modesty|immodest]] or [[decency|indecent]]. In some cultures, like the [[Himba people|Himba]] in northern [[Namibia]], bare-breasted women are normal. In some African cultures, for example, the [[thigh]] is regarded as highly sexualized and never exposed in public, but breast exposure is not taboo. In a few [[Western world|Western countries]] and regions female [[toplessness]] at a beach is acceptable, although it may not be acceptable in the town center.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2024-10-09 |title=Topless Beaches In Europe: Etiquette, Culture, And What To Expect [Updated On 2024] |url=https://travelpander.com/are-all-beaches-in-europ-topless/ |access-date=2024-12-25 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Social attitudes and laws regarding [[breastfeeding in public]] vary widely. In many countries, breastfeeding in public is common, legally protected, and generally not regarded as an issue. However, even though the practice may be legal or socially accepted, some mothers may nevertheless be reluctant to expose a breast in public to breastfeed<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1186/1746-4358-3-11|title=Got milk? Not in public!|pmid=18680578|year=2008|last1=Wolf|first1=J.H.|volume=3|issue=1|page=11|pmc=2518137|journal=International Breastfeeding Journal |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name=Vance_2005>{{cite journal | last = Vance | first = Melissa R. | title = Breastfeeding Legislation in the United States: A General Overview and Implications for Helping Mothers | journal = LEAVEN | volume = 41 | issue = 3 | pages = 51–54 | date = June–July 2005 | url = http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVJunJul05p51.html | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070331220518/http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVJunJul05p51.html | archive-date = 31 March 2007}}</ref> due to actual or potential objections by other people, negative comments, or harassment.<ref name=Jordan_2002>{{cite book|editor-last=Jordan|editor-first=Tim|editor-last2=Pile|editor-first2=Steve|title=Social Change|page=[https://archive.org/details/socialchange0000unse/page/233 233]|publisher=Blackwell|year=2002|isbn=9780631233114|url=https://archive.org/details/socialchange0000unse/page/233}}</ref> It is estimated that around 63% of mothers across the world have publicly breast-fed.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Breast Feeding With Confidence|last = Cox|first = Sue|publisher = Meadowbrook Press|year = 2002|isbn = 0684040050|location = United States|url-access = registration|url = https://archive.org/details/breastfeedingwit00suec}}</ref> Bare-breasted women are legal and culturally acceptable at public beaches in Australia and much of Europe.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bennett |first=Theodore |title=Clothing Optional?: Nudity and the Law of the Australian Beach |url=https://doaj.org/article/3c5619e831254faca2c5e8cc6f9a617b |journal=Bond Law Review |language=en |issn=2202-4824}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> Filmmaker [[Lina Esco]] made a film entitled ''[[Free the Nipple (film)|Free the Nipple]]'', which is about "...laws against female toplessness or restrictions on images of female, but not male, nipples", which Esco states is an example of [[sexism]] in society.<ref name="thedailybeast.com">{{cite news |url = http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/09/09/women-it-s-time-to-reclaim-our-breasts.html |title = Women, It's Time to Reclaim Our Breasts |first = Emily |last = Shire |date = 9 September 2014 |newspaper = The Daily Beast |access-date = 11 December 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161101085547/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/09/09/women-it-s-time-to-reclaim-our-breasts.html |archive-date = 1 November 2016 |url-status = live |df = dmy-all }}</ref>

[[Breast binding]], also known as chest binding, is the flattening and hiding of breasts with constrictive materials such as cloth strips or purpose-built [[undergarment]]s. Binders may also be used as alternatives to [[bra]]s or for reasons of propriety. People who bind include women, [[trans man|trans men]], [[non-binary gender|non-binary]] people, and [[cisgender]] men with gynecomastia.