Why can't they look away...?

[bliss_eternal]

Those that are so offended by breast feeding mothers?

I keep reading all of these posts, by mothers that are really disturbing to me. Too many of them seem to be apologizing for having breast fed in public, by also asserting "but I also covered up" "I was REALLY careful no one saw" "I went into dark corners and lurked in the shadows like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, to ensure no one would in the goodness and light would be offended by evil boob or my child suckling at it."

:wtf:

I worked in retail and restaurants for years while in college. Not once did I, or anyone in those places ask a mother to "cover up" or leave if breastfeeding--and yes it did happen. Women breastfed in stores I worked in, and in restaurants.

My manager in a retail store once offered a woman a chair while she was nursing. My manager was a mother (who nursed). She ASKED the woman IF she would like a place to sit while nursing, because the woman looked so tired and her hands were more than full (packages, the baby, a stroller). When the woman realized we brought the chair out of an empty dressing room, she asked if she could use the empty room to nurse. It hadn't occured to any of us to ask her to go there. But we were happy to allow her to sit quietly, as she wanted to.

Now I DID once have to ask a woman to NOT change her child on the floor of our store. :eyes:
But the floor was FILTH, and as such a health risk to the child. Someone may have tripped over her (she was behind a rounder of clothing and a display, so not easily seen). Another shopper may have been hurt tripping over them, or hurt the child. So she was immediately directed to the nearby public restroom. (Actually, she knew where it was--she just thought if she changed him there we would send her to a bathroom in the store, which we'd already informed her did not exist).

I shared this situation just to make a point. Breastfeeding in our store wouldn't hurt anyone, but changing a child on the floor might.

I don't get the whole "no one wants to see THAT"--so she needs to GO AWAY, thing. :shrug: Why not look away if it bothers you? Can anyone enlighten me?

[Katherine Brengle]

1. The deeper problem is *that* it bothers anyone.

Honestly, looking away is a band aid.

The internalized hatred of women's bodies and the hypersexualization of women's breasts is what needs to be corrected, not the direction of one's gaze.

[bliss_eternal]

2. Excellent point.

I got so involved in the "oh my offended eyes" crap, I didn't considesolutions for the deeper issues at hand. Thank you.

[Katherine Brengle]

3. Any time : )

[cally]

4. I'm actually shocked that anyone is offended

by public breastfeeding. Our culture just baffles me.

[mzteris]

5. well we all know men are just mindless sex machines

driven to insane lust by the sight of women's breasts. They'd be forced to have sex right then and there and that'd be like - er - rape or something to the man since he had NO CHOICE in the matter.

:sarcasm:


People who are offended by breastfeeding totally disgust me. And yet -

is it just me, but aren't some of these the same people who LIKE PORN?!?

:puke:



The PURPOSE of BREASTS is to BREAST FEED. That is what they evolved FOR.

[femrap]

6. These dumb asses can't stand having

breasts being used for their TRUE function....feeding of the young. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....that takes away from the titilation and dirty fun for the boys. They might lose their erection...boo fucking hoo.

I swear...will our culture EVER evolve?

[ismnotwasm]

7. Sheeeit

I breast fed anywhere and anytime I felt like it. I'd do it again. No one ever told me to cover up. Is it because it was the late 70's to very early '80's? Breasts have always been considered a male commodity, but with all the emphasis in the last few years on breast aesthetics--you know they gotta be bigger, better, rounder, minus stretch marks, prominent veins and excessive sagging. Gods forbid they produce a sweet white-blue nutritional fluid in copious amounts. Ruins the visual. I've seen women who will wear fucking water filled bras and ridiculous push up torture bras, padded bras, or have had breast augmentation-- exposing as much breast for sexual attractiveness purposes as they choose, tsk tsk a breast feeding women. Cover up my ass.

Men are worse. How many pictures of women with lovely aesthetic breasts get posted, oh, say in the lounge here? Men or --women so inclined will post the little tongue hanging out smilie, and make cute comments over barely covered breasts on display.

Fuck 'em. How stupid can you get? There is no debatable logic in an anti public breastfeeding argument, when cleavage is all the rage. What is valid to my mind is it's a womans choice based on her modestly level, or how she feels about breast feeding. Period.

[bliss_eternal]

8. What about hairy ass, male butt cracks....?

Do we have the right to not see that? Can we walk up to them and say, "um--sir, the sight of your um...hairy butt crack is unsettling to the elderly sitting over there, and frankly making children cry. I've NEVER seen anything so horrific or unsightly in my life, and will probably need to sleep with the lights on tonight. Would you please pull up your pants?"

:eyes: I don't think so.


Oh, and I really appreciate your sharing your personal experiences with nursing--thank you! It helped validate some of my thoughts and concerns, personally and in threads on this issue. :)

[mrreowwr_kittty]

9. A lot of the same guys who are offended by a glimpse of a breast engaged in feeding an infant

Will PAY to see breasts displayed elsewhere. It's surreal.

As for Bill Maher's comparison with masturbation, or others equating breastfeeding with other natural acts that are generally performed in private like relieving yourself, they are absurd. I'd MUCH rather be in the presence of a woman breastfeeding than someone uninating, defecating, or masturbating. Anyone who equates those activities is a moron.

[bliss_eternal]

10. Is THAT what he said...?

Being familiar with Maher's "work" and prior comments regarding women, I didn't attempt to determine EXACTLY what he said.

I know Maher likes his marijuana, and I'm seriously wondering if he was high. He joked about Pee Wee Herman's arrest, just like every other comedian on the planet. So I'm sure he's aware that masturbating in public can be deemed as a crime. There ARE people that choose to expose themselves to others because it gives them a thrill (flashers, etc.), sometimes they also masturbate in the process.

I'm kind of taken aback that he had the audacity to compare a woman feeding her child (a necessity) to an act that can be viewed as a crime. That is beyond offensive.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

11. He sure did.

And in practically the same breath shared some yuks with Drew Carey over going to strip clubs. He started the bit with a smarmy little comment about how he never thought he'd object to seeing boobs. Har har. He made it perfectly clear where breasts should, and shouldn't, be seen.

[bliss_eternal]

12. I think Carey gives his local club much business....

At least at one point, he was dating a stripper. The Howard Stern crew was giving him shit because he was paying for her apt. and educational expenses. :shrug:

Someone in the main forum only saw fit to be angry that Maher didn't call Carey on some anti-democratic comments he made. Whatever those were. I can't imagine anything worse than comparing breast feeding to the acts of a pervert.

I guess as long as "the boys are being boys" no one cares what they say.:eyes:

[defendandprotect]

15. Maher and breastfeeding as masturbation . . ...

Maher is a moron on many topics -- this is one!

There are two points about the return of breastfeeding which I think are obvious --

adult males want total possession of the female breast --
and do not want it for babies --

also . . . we avoid talking about sensitivity of the male nipple --
let's get to, folks!!!

[foxeyes2]

13. Immaturity

I think that a lot of men are immature when it comes to seeing women's breasts and they get all flustered. Breast feeding is the most natural way to nourish human babies but as others have said American culture has so sexualized breasts that men can not turn off their sexual thoughts and realize it is a natural function for mother and child. As a man I am not offended by public breast feeding but am outraged when women are asked to stop or to go into the bathroom to feed their babies.
Our fellow countrymen need to grow up.

[defendandprotect]

14. Believe it or not . . .. I had a doctor's wife once tell me how breastfeeding disgusted her !!!!!

[Katherine Brengle]

16. That's so sad.