France Debates the Merits of the Bra

LONDON â€" Only in France.

A researcher at the University Hospital of Besançon, in the east of the country, has prompted a lively debate this week with a study that suggests women might be better off without their bras.

After a meticulous study involving 330 female volunteers aged 18 to 35, Professor Jean-Denis Rouillon concluded that “medically, physiologically and anatomically” breasts gained no benefit from having their weight supported.

What the French know as the “soutien-gorge” could, in fact, be positively harmful in terms of posture and muscle tone. Wearing a bra means “supporting tissues will not grow and even they will wither and the breast will gradually degrade,” Mr. Rouillon, a sports scientist, warned.

The headline-grabbing findings were widely reported in the French press and prompted some wry comments about the fact that the study had taken 15 years of closely measuring female anatomies â€" “such was the hard task that Professor Rouillon took on,” noted Mathieu Sicard in a blog post for Le Nouvel Observateur.

While some male social media jokers asked where they could sign on to help the professor with his research, others expressed astonishment that, after a decade and a half, the results were still being described as “preliminary.”

The venerable Le Monde raised the tone on Thursday by offering a historical insight into the origins of the bra, quoting findings by Austrian archaeologists who have dated its development back to the 14th century.

Feminists have complained that women once again faced being reduced to their body parts, while one anonymous commenter at the France-Info Web site, who said she would not be burning her bra, asked, “Why can’t we put our money into more serious and necessary studies”

Mr. Rouillon’s research was eminently serious, in contrast to some of the reactions it provoked.

Ahead of the announcement of his findings on Wednesday, he told France Culture last year that he had been inspired by the discovery that no previous study had looked at the medical effects of the bra.

He stressed on Wednesday that his preliminary research was not based on a representative sample of women and therefore it would be dangerous to advise all women to stop wearing their bras.

As commentators speculated whether the research would prompt a revival of 1970s bra-burning, one of Mr. Rouillon’s volunteers, a 28-year-old woman identified as Capucine, offered her own testimonial.

Having dumped her bra two year ago, she told France-Info, “You breathe better, you stand straighter and you have less back pain.”

Marion Streicher, the broadcaster’s correspondent in Besançon, perhaps got closer to the nub of the debate when she suggested it might be too early to write the epitaph of the bra.

The garment’s “social dimension” should not be overlooked, she said, neither should the “lovers of lace and décolleté” who would no doubt be advising women not to abandon their bras.

France Debates the Merits of the Bra

LONDON â€" Only in France.

A researcher at the University Hospital of Besançon, in the east of the country, has prompted a lively debate this week with a study that suggests women might be better off without their bras.

After a meticulous study involving 330 female volunteers aged 18 to 35, Professor Jean-Denis Rouillon concluded that “medically, physiologically and anatomically” breasts gained no benefit from having their weight supported.

What the French know as the “soutien-gorge” could, in fact, be positively harmful in terms of posture and muscle tone. Wearing a bra means “supporting tissues will not grow and even they will wither and the breast will gradually degrade,” Mr. Rouillon, a sports scientist, warned.

The headline-grabbing findings were widely reported in the French press and prompted some wry comments about the fact that the study had taken 15 years of closely measuring female anatomies â€" “such was the hard task that Professor Rouillon took on,” noted Mathieu Sicard in a blog post for Le Nouvel Observateur.

While some male social media jokers asked where they could sign on to help the professor with his research, others expressed astonishment that, after a decade and a half, the results were still being described as “preliminary.”

The venerable Le Monde raised the tone on Thursday by offering a historical insight into the origins of the bra, quoting findings by Austrian archaeologists who have dated its development back to the 14th century.

Feminists have complained that women once again faced being reduced to their body parts, while one anonymous commenter at the France-Info Web site, who said she would not be burning her bra, asked, “Why can’t we put our money into more serious and necessary studies”

Mr. Rouillon’s research was eminently serious, in contrast to some of the reactions it provoked.

Ahead of the announcement of his findings on Wednesday, he told France Culture last year that he had been inspired by the discovery that no previous study had looked at the medical effects of the bra.

He stressed on Wednesday that his preliminary research was not based on a representative sample of women and therefore it would be dangerous to advise all women to stop wearing their bras.

As commentators speculated whether the research would prompt a revival of 1970s bra-burning, one of Mr. Rouillon’s volunteers, a 28-year-old woman identified as Capucine, offered her own testimonial.

Having dumped her bra two year ago, she told France-Info, “You breathe better, you stand straighter and you have less back pain.”

Marion Streicher, the broadcaster’s correspondent in Besançon, perhaps got closer to the nub of the debate when she suggested it might be too early to write the epitaph of the bra.

The garment’s “social dimension” should not be overlooked, she said, neither should the “lovers of lace and décolleté” who would no doubt be advising women not to abandon their bras.

France Debates the Merits of the Bra

LONDON â€" Only in France.

A researcher at the University Hospital of Besançon, in the east of the country, has prompted a lively debate this week with a study that suggests women might be better off without their bras.

After a meticulous study involving 330 female volunteers aged 18 to 35, Professor Jean-Denis Rouillon concluded that “medically, physiologically and anatomically” breasts gained no benefit from having their weight supported.

What the French know as the “soutien-gorge” could, in fact, be positively harmful in terms of posture and muscle tone. Wearing a bra means “supporting tissues will not grow and even they will wither and the breast will gradually degrade,” Mr. Rouillon, a sports scientist, warned.

The headline-grabbing findings were widely reported in the French press and prompted some wry comments about the fact that the study had taken 15 years of closely measuring female anatomies â€" “such was the hard task that Professor Rouillon took on,” noted Mathieu Sicard in a blog post for Le Nouvel Observateur.

While some male social media jokers asked where they could sign on to help the professor with his research, others expressed astonishment that, after a decade and a half, the results were still being described as “preliminary.”

The venerable Le Monde raised the tone on Thursday by offering a historical insight into the origins of the bra, quoting findings by Austrian archaeologists who have dated its development back to the 14th century.

Feminists have complained that women once again faced being reduced to their body parts, while one anonymous commenter at the France-Info Web site, who said she would not be burning her bra, asked, “Why can’t we put our money into more serious and necessary studies”

Mr. Rouillon’s research was eminently serious, in contrast to some of the reactions it provoked.

Ahead of the announcement of his findings on Wednesday, he told France Culture last year that he had been inspired by the discovery that no previous study had looked at the medical effects of the bra.

He stressed on Wednesday that his preliminary research was not based on a representative sample of women and therefore it would be dangerous to advise all women to stop wearing their bras.

As commentators speculated whether the research would prompt a revival of 1970s bra-burning, one of Mr. Rouillon’s volunteers, a 28-year-old woman identified as Capucine, offered her own testimonial.

Having dumped her bra two year ago, she told France-Info, “You breathe better, you stand straighter and you have less back pain.”

Marion Streicher, the broadcaster’s correspondent in Besançon, perhaps got closer to the nub of the debate when she suggested it might be too early to write the epitaph of the bra.

The garment’s “social dimension” should not be overlooked, she said, neither should the “lovers of lace and décolleté” who would no doubt be advising women not to abandon their bras.

IHT Quick Read: April 11

NEWS Of all the mysteries surrounding the emergence of a new and deadly strain of avian influenza around Shanghai, one of the biggest is why China’s hundreds of medical and veterinary labs did not spot the problem sooner â€" or if they did, why it was not disclosed. Keith Bradsher reports from Hong Kong.

A long-debated move by Western nations to expand support for Syria’s opposition gained momentum on Wednesday, with the United States poised to increase its nonlethal aid to rebel groups and pressure building to lift a European Union embargo on sending arms to Syria. Michael R. Gordon reports from London, and Mark Landler from Washington.

As the Syrian uprising drags into its third year, women are taking an increasingly active role in the conflict, on both sides. Eva Sohlman reports from Antakya, Turkey.

Buffeted by a political scandal, a stagnant economy and angry public reaction to an investigative report about secret offshore bank accounts, President François Hollande on Wednesday announced the creation of a position of special prosecutor to pursue cases of corruption and tax fraud, and vowed to eradicate tax havens “in Europe and the world.” Stephen Erlanger and David Jolly report from Paris.

A deadly prison raid by soldiers in Indonesia has raised questions about what progress has been made in overhauling the military since the collapse of President Suharto’s rule in 1998. Joe Cochrane reports from Jakarta.

Germany’s Central Office for the Investigation of Nazi Crimes compiled a list of 50 former guards who worked at the concentration camp in Poland and might be brought to court. Chris Cottrell reports from Berlin.

For three days since she died in a London hotel suite at the age of 87, an outpouring of sympathy, respect and reverence from those who have hailed Mrs. Thatcher as Britain’s greatest peacetime prime minister has been accompanied by a parallel, and deeply antagonistic, critique. John F. Burns and Alan Cowell report from London.

Genel Energy, the oil exploration company headed by Tony Hayward, the former chief executive of BP, announced Wednesday that it had made a significant oil find in Kurdistan. Stanley Reed reports from London.

A high-level British minister warned businesses Wednesday that the government might have difficulty maintaining its opposition to quotas for women on company boards after a report showed that the steady advance in female representation at the highest levels of British corporate life might have ground to a halt in the last six months. Stephen Castle reports from London.

ARTS As Venezuela rushes toward an election on Sunday to replace its deceased president, Hugo Chávez, the opposition has an unlikely musical ringer on its side: Willie Colón, the Bronx-born salsa star with Puerto Rican roots. William Neuman reports from Caracas.

SPORTS Dortmund scored two goals in stoppage time in its Champions League match, allowing the German club to advance to the semifinals. Rob Hughes reports from London.

The Australian Michael Clarke, 32, was named the Leading Cricketer in the World by Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, the game’s annual reference book. Huw Richards reports from London.