My backpack is on. I tie my shoes using the bunny ear method. I do my hair in pigtails and admire my outfit in the mirror. I’m ready to step out the door to go to elementary school. 

 The only thing standing between me and getting to school was my underwear. 

 I couldn’t put my hand on the front door without my mom asking, “are you wearing underwear?”

 I have never been a good liar. My mom eventually gave up asking if I was wearing underwear and began to check for herself before I could accidentally moon the kids on the playground. 

 The only thing that has changed since then is that Mom can’t stop me before leaving the house. 

 Underwear is a scam — uncomfortable, tight, loose, too high-rise, too low-rise, scratchy and bulky. 

Sometimes, I question whether there’s even enough fabric to consider it underwear. 

 I am not the only person who feels this way. I ran an informal poll on my Instagram story and found that 45% out of 78 people surveyed dislike wearing underwear.

 “It’s so freeing,” said DePaul senior Noël Bentley. Once she went without underwear, she could never “turn back the clock.” 

 I rarely indulge in a conversation about my undergarments with the public, but now I no longer feel I’m the odd one out. My underwear is not serving my needs. 

 The origin of underwear is debated between groups but we know underwear as a barrier between your genitals and outside elements. Underwear can help with chafing, discharge, leakage and protection from bacteria. Underwear can give people confidence and the ability to feel secure. 

 While all this is true, Reader’s Digest said two things can be right at once. 

 Going without underwear can be more comfortable and allow your genitals to breathe. Therefore, going without underwear can prevent bacteria growth, UTIs and yeast infections. 

OB-GYN Brittany Noel Robles told Bustle, an online magazine for women, that wearing tight underwear is one of the most common causes of outpatient gynecological visits.

 Many individuals believe going without underwear is dirty; some DePaul students disagree. Sophomore Emma Higgins believes going without underwear is only dirty if you are doing it unhygienically.

 Going without underwear also can relieve dampness, avoid chafing and rashes and improve circulation, according to Bustle.

 Women’s underwear often focuses on fashion over function and is made with fabrics such as lace and spandex. 

“It looks pretty, but it is not healthy for your vagina,” Bentley said. 

 Synthetic fabric is bad for your genitals because of the chemicals and lack of breathability. If you are to wear underwear, cotton is the best option, according to Healthline. 

 According to FemiClear, a vaginal health company, “sleeping without underwear can be beneficial for vaginal health,” OB-GYN Himali Maniar said. “Studies have linked sleeping without underwear with a reduced risk of developing vaginal infections.” 

 Wearing underwear sometimes makes sense, like if you’re menstruating, experiencing heavy discharge and/or leakage or are wearing tight clothing. 

 Any other time, I will choose to go without. 

 While that’s a personal choice, many people lack options that suit their needs. Underwear is a piece of clothing we all wear. Yet, not everyone is able to find underwear in their size. 

 Companies with inclusive sizing tend to have higher prices and fewer options. If you don’t fit into Victoria Secret, your chance of finding underwear that makes you feel confident and comfortable decreases significantly, Higgins said. 

 The lack of inclusivity in underwear also extends to a lack of gender-inclusive options. Underwear is one of the most gendered pieces of clothing. 

 Examples of gender-inclusive underwear could be gender-neutral underwear and variations of types of underwear: thong, bikini, boy short and brief, made separately for types of genitals. Our undergarments are meant for us to feel comfortable and secure. Everyone deserves to have underwear they feel confident in. 

 Parade and Savage X Fenty, for instance, make underwear for different body types with various identities in mind.

 “Be supportive of your friends because their body is their own,” Higgins said.  

 Whether or not you choose to burn your undies, I support whatever makes you feel confident. But I’ll be saving my cash for something else.