Binding

Binding, or chest binding, is the practice of compressing the chest tissue for a flatter appearance as a means of gender expression. This is often accomplished by wearing a tight, specialized garment called a binder that looks like a tight tank top, which either extends over the whole torso or is cropped above the stomach. However, individuals use a variety of methods to bind, including wrapping elastic bandages or duct tape around the chest, wearing sports bras or surgical compression vests, or simply layering multiple shirts. One Australian study indicated that perhaps 87% of trans individuals assigned a female sex at birth use binding at some point in their lives.