People Are Using No Bra Day to Fat-Shame Men and That's Not Cool

Women are shedding their bras for No Bra Day on Tuesday as an attempt to raise awareness for breast cancer. Of course the hashtag, #NoBraDay is surging with criticism the day is doing more to sexualize breasts and bralessness than draw attention to breast cancer prevention and research. 

In addition to braless selfies posted on Twitter and Instagram, it also turns out the day has brought on a lot of tired jokes about large men and man-boobs.  

By the numbers: Breast cancer is the most common cancer for women in the United States aside from skin cancers, according to the American Cancer Society. In fact 1 in 8 women will develop a form of breast cancer in their lifetime. 

While it's far less prevalent, men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer; in fact this year in the United States, a projected 2,350 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and about 440 of those men could die from it, according to the cancer society.

Feminist blogger Louise Pennington told the Huffington Post that the hubbub of No Bra Day, whether it's scantily clad women without bras or large men, completely misses the point. 

"Going without a bra or posting pictures of erect nipples isn't the reality of breast cancer," she said. "If people want to raise awareness, talk to the women who have experienced it. Share their stories, not porno-fied images of the bodies of very young, thin women."