I’ve been wondering. Do you think that if we weren’t experiencing the phenomenon of prolonged adolescence (on the Friends model), along with the trend of having fewer and fewer children, that folks wouldn’t be so scandalized with breasts and breastfeeding? It seems like all you have to do to “get over” the reality that babies get food from breasts is to get married, and perhaps have a kid or two.
Of course there’s the whole sexualization of the human body in general, which obviously does its part in contributing to the hysteria.
I wish it were that simple. We get over it because there is a deep connection between the sexual and procreative aspects of marriage in our families/circle of friends. It makes to the “open-to-many-children-families” sense that what is in one place sexual is also used to feed our progeny.
People don’t want their sex all tainted by the thought of children. Breasts are for fun, babies are not. Keep them separate before we have to remember what sex is really for and start feeling guilty for having a lot of sex and not very many kids.
I guess you’re probably right. Your “keep them separate” analysis is probably the only thing that explains the fact that the fun-and-sexy breasts are plastered everywhere and overexposure is about the last thing that the general public gets scandalized with, whereas the mere knowledge that there’s a baby, somewhere in the building, at mother’s breast, can provoke so much disgust.
In recent months I have been thinking that some of the unashamed and almost militant public breastfeeders have been erring on the side of underappreciating the plain fact that breasts ARE sexual. That hunch may still prove true, but your “contamination hypothesis” (if I can give it an academic-sounding name), if true, is really deeply saddening.
And perhaps maybe there IS something to this movement of militantly public breastfeeding moms. It might especially be interesting to have breastfeeding moms strategically placed in public spots where breasts are being hypersexualized to the blatant exclusion of their other purpose for being. Say, a breastfeeding mother posted on every bench in the mall outside of Victoria’s Secret. That would rub the irony right in. Maybe post some moms outside of strip clubs or porn shops?
Okay, so I’m not going to get hired as the national director of this movement.
To add to the last poster’s comment….there actually WAS a protest because a Victoria’s Secret asked a breastfeeding mother to leave because she was nursing in the store….the irony was too much. I’ll have to find the article, but I think the LLL was involved.
And it’s funny, but I feel more comfortable breastfeeding in a public place like a mall or outside at a restaurant (discreetly, of course) than I do nursing in friends’ homes or around family or even sometimes in the company of dinner guests. I think it’s easier to be anonymous and breastfeed in public. At least you aren’t getting nervous glances/embarrassed looks from people you KNOW.
And it’s funny, but I feel more comfortable breastfeeding in a public place like a mall or outside at a restaurant (discreetly, of course) than I do nursing in friends’ homes or around family or even sometimes in the company of dinner guests. I think it’s easier to be anonymous and breastfeed in public. At least you aren’t getting nervous glances/embarrassed looks from people you KNOW.
Yes, I totally agree with this. I’m glad I’m not the only one, but sad that it is true.
I LOVE it!!
Mary
Wonderful! Have printed it out to show my wife, who I’m sure will be very appreciative. :-)
Yeah, that’s pretty awesome.
I’ve been wondering. Do you think that if we weren’t experiencing the phenomenon of prolonged adolescence (on the Friends model), along with the trend of having fewer and fewer children, that folks wouldn’t be so scandalized with breasts and breastfeeding? It seems like all you have to do to “get over” the reality that babies get food from breasts is to get married, and perhaps have a kid or two.
Of course there’s the whole sexualization of the human body in general, which obviously does its part in contributing to the hysteria.
I wish it were that simple. We get over it because there is a deep connection between the sexual and procreative aspects of marriage in our families/circle of friends. It makes to the “open-to-many-children-families” sense that what is in one place sexual is also used to feed our progeny.
People don’t want their sex all tainted by the thought of children. Breasts are for fun, babies are not. Keep them separate before we have to remember what sex is really for and start feeling guilty for having a lot of sex and not very many kids.
I guess you’re probably right. Your “keep them separate” analysis is probably the only thing that explains the fact that the fun-and-sexy breasts are plastered everywhere and overexposure is about the last thing that the general public gets scandalized with, whereas the mere knowledge that there’s a baby, somewhere in the building, at mother’s breast, can provoke so much disgust.
In recent months I have been thinking that some of the unashamed and almost militant public breastfeeders have been erring on the side of underappreciating the plain fact that breasts ARE sexual. That hunch may still prove true, but your “contamination hypothesis” (if I can give it an academic-sounding name), if true, is really deeply saddening.
And perhaps maybe there IS something to this movement of militantly public breastfeeding moms. It might especially be interesting to have breastfeeding moms strategically placed in public spots where breasts are being hypersexualized to the blatant exclusion of their other purpose for being. Say, a breastfeeding mother posted on every bench in the mall outside of Victoria’s Secret. That would rub the irony right in. Maybe post some moms outside of strip clubs or porn shops?
Okay, so I’m not going to get hired as the national director of this movement.
This is brilliant!
To add to the last poster’s comment….there actually WAS a protest because a Victoria’s Secret asked a breastfeeding mother to leave because she was nursing in the store….the irony was too much. I’ll have to find the article, but I think the LLL was involved.
And it’s funny, but I feel more comfortable breastfeeding in a public place like a mall or outside at a restaurant (discreetly, of course) than I do nursing in friends’ homes or around family or even sometimes in the company of dinner guests. I think it’s easier to be anonymous and breastfeed in public. At least you aren’t getting nervous glances/embarrassed looks from people you KNOW.
And it’s funny, but I feel more comfortable breastfeeding in a public place like a mall or outside at a restaurant (discreetly, of course) than I do nursing in friends’ homes or around family or even sometimes in the company of dinner guests. I think it’s easier to be anonymous and breastfeed in public. At least you aren’t getting nervous glances/embarrassed looks from people you KNOW.
Yes, I totally agree with this. I’m glad I’m not the only one, but sad that it is true.
Oh. my. gosh. That is hysterical.