We use our hands and mouth during sex but yet no one freaks out when you bare them. In fact every part of our bodies are active during sex...legs, arms, neck, back....and yet we can bare them without repercussion. These two mounds on our chest simply store fat and produce milk, yet American society connects them with sex. I am not quite sure why...with age those fun bags become sand bags. Seriously...it's like taking a cue ball and putting it in a tube sock. The fun bags have officially deflated. They are the twins alright...Flopsy and Mopsy.
With my first child, I had to decide whether to breastfeed or bottle feed. I chose to breast feed and faced both positive and negative opinions on the matter. Some of my fondest moments stem from rocking my little sweet bundles of joy as they suckled and looking into their eyes when suddenly they would pause and crack a big grin while wrapping their little hand around my finger. I could go on and on about the known benefits of breastfeeding, but I am sure all my readers are well aware of the benefits. Truth be told, breastfeeding is a deeply personal choice and one only the mother can make. A woman should never be frowned upon for the choice she makes in regards to feeding her child.
That being said, if the woman chooses to breastfeed she should not face opposition to how she chooses to breast feed her child. If she is comfortable with breast feeding in public, then so be it. It is not her fault that those that surround her are insecure with the human anatomy. In 47 states a woman is in her legal right to breast feed in public. In fact in some countries, such as Taiwan, a person can be fined for interfering with a breastfeeding woman. Go Taiwan! I can't believe the uproar breastfeeding in public causes when we have restaurants such as Hooters and Tilted Kilt and establishments called strip clubs and yet no one is protesting them! Go ahead and try to find a pair of shorts that are not cut directly under the crotch line or find a decent one piece bathing suit. I can't believe the prices that manufacturers charge for strings of fabric that they pass off as bathing suits!
Take your family to the beach and you will see more nudity on a woman than you do with a breastfeeding mother. Hell, take your family to the mall and they will see more nudity with the people walking the mall. The nipple is completely covered by the baby's mouth and so even if they nipple is revealed while accessing the breast for a feeding, it is for a very brief moment. For those who oppose, try this on...DON'T LOOK!!
I went to a cookout for a friend who now lives out of state and was up visiting. It would be the first time I met her beautiful daughter. I walked up to peek at the baby and noticed my friend was nursing...yes uncovered. The way the baby was held, I couldn't even tell she was nursing until I got up close. I apologized and she was so non chalant about it, telling me if I was okay with it, so was she, it didn't bother her. I never had so much respect for her as I did in that moment. It was such a natural, nurturing moment. We were at a cookout with lots of people, several of them male (and even soldiers at that) and not one person acted as if it bothered them. I didn't see staring or drooling or jaws hanging open. I saw people having fun and in a very accepting atmosphere. That is how it should be.
I made a point in mentioning that there was soldiers around based on the Facebook post that got me inspired to write this blog. An observation was made in a Federal Building (illegal to prohibit public breastfeeding in any Federal building) that a woman was there with a crying baby. To soothe the baby, she started breastfeeding in a room that included soldiers. Gasp. How dare she! How dare she respond to her child's needs instead of neglect them until she find a germ filled bathroom! How dare she not use a blanket to cover up her child, blocking their air flow and creating a little heat tent with the blanket that covered two sources of body heat. Anyways, this observer was disgusted and several people chimed in to agree with her. Included one absolute moron who made this comment and I quote, "If there was soldiers around and that person wiped it outm she was fishing. SHe was hoping a soldier would wanna share cause there are only a couple things on our mind at that point, get done clearing cause that proccess sucks and makes on...e wanna kick little kittens and stab babbys (especially if they are on a nice boobie and the baby is so lookin over the boob sayin ooooh ya im the man! look at me and you soo wanna be me) drink a very large beer and see something nakid. Its not "sexualized" its human nature. Even in africa the men still check out the danglies. Have a great day yall, I couldnt resist to comment on this too funney." Sigh. Obviously he was never breastfed.
First of all, what does it matter that there was soldiers around? You are stereotyping that all soldiers are horny and immature that they can't handle seeing a breastfeeding in progress. I am sure there are many men who fit that stereotype, soldier or civilian, just as there are many soldiers who are accepting of a breastfeeding baby not being a sign of a woman fishing. As a new mother with a young child I can almost guarantee you that sex is probably the last thing on that woman's mind. Would you find it as shocking to see a woman handing her child a Pepsi, filled with all sorts of toxic ingredients? How about fruit snacks with Red 40 dye in them? Would you be as concerned then as you are by seeing a mother feed her child all natural milk?
All the cases of child abuse out there and no one does anything about it. You probably know someone who you suspect is a child abuse victim and do you pick up a telephone to report it? No, but you will gladly bash someone who is placing her child's needs over society's opinions. Someone who is responding and tending to her child's needs.
In that case, I would also hope those who are disgusted by public breastfeeding abstain from watching any movies with any nudity. While you are at it, maybe you should cover your eyes when you get undressed so you don't have to look at your own breasts.
Maybe if after she got done breastfeeding she left her breast dangling out of her shirt I would see your point of fishing for a man or attention. Maybe if she squirted you in the eye with some of her breastmilk I could understand how upset you got over the situation. Maybe if the kid was breastfeeding while in line to take his test to get his driving permit I could see how some might find it disgusting.
I am someone who has been "blessed" with larger breasts. The word in quotations is meant to be extremely sarcastic. I have lost 60 pounds and my bra size has not budged. I would love nothing more than to have Flopsy and Mopsy lopped right off. Less chance of developing cancer. Easier running without two sand bags strapped to my chest. I mean it would be nice to sleep on my back without worry of them falling in my face and smothering me during the night. Suck on those thoughts the next time you connects breasts to sex...
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