When it comes to female bodies, social objectification can often have serious long-term consequences for women's health. Nowhere is this double-standard more apparent than the subject of breasts.
We tend to think that 'bigger is better' when it comes to boobs, even though large breasts come with their own set of problems. Carrying around all that extra weight can lead to additional side-effects, such as chronic back pain and other issues with posture and blood circulation.
One person who knows this all too well is 20-year-old mom Dani Markerson, who claims that her gigantic 36k breasts are making her life miserable. Dani has recently been turned down for a breast reduction operation on the UK's NHS, which she'd hoped would cure her of the extreme pain in her back, neck and knees following the swelling of her breasts after her pregnancy.
Dani, who hails from Caerphilly in South Wales, has been forced to quit her job as a result of her breast-related health issues, and is now trying to save the £6,000 ($7,600) needed to go a private surgeon.
Commenting on her outrageous breast-size in a recent interview, Danielle stated: "It’s more of a curse than a gift having boobs this big and I want people to know that I didn’t intentionally make them this size. The weight of my breasts is unreal and carrying them around is so painful. I’ve not actually weighed them, but I reckon they could weigh as much as a newborn baby."
Danielle continued: "When I was pregnant they became freakishly big and now they just won’t go down. They’ve always been very big for my frame but, over the last eight years, they’ve gradually grown from a 32D to a 36F and are still growing, despite the rest of me staying slim ... It feels like I’m carrying heavy shopping bags around all the time. And it’s not like I can put them down."
Credit: 2199She added: "I’ve suffered from anxiety, stress, and depression because of my breasts. My confidence has plummeted because I fear being judged. Whenever I go out I feel I’ve got 10 pairs of eyes on me. I try wearing baggier clothes. I’m a size 12 on the bottom and wear a size 18 on top, but there’s nothing hiding them ... I bend down sometimes I get stuck and need help getting back up or I lose my balance and fall, as I’m so top-heavy."
Most alarming of all, Dani's knees have been damaged due to the weight of her breasts putting a strain on her joints, which have left her knock-kneed. A physiotherapist suggesting she may even need a double knee replacement operation.
Credit: 3105Hopefully, Dani will be able to raise the cash to fund her op in the near future. But her story - which is so relatable for many women out there - shows that having a big bust isn't always a bonus.