The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Androgyny
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The Kayan, or Padaun populations of modern day Myanmar and Thailand have long held a tradition of encirlcing the necks of young girls and women with brass neck rings to create the illusion of elongated or stretched necks. The rings actually warp the collar and upper rib bones creating the illusion of a longer neck without actually affecting the skeletal structure of the spine. While this may be a local sign of beauty in specific Eastern populations, the neck rings actually deemphasize the protrusion of the breast since the upper chest bones and flesh wind up sagging toward the ground. The resulting bodies of these women are somewhere between traditionally feminine and masculine.

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Kayan (Padaun)

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