Every morning I check CNN.com, especially with all the mess going on between Israel and Lebanon. This morning I saw a link to an article entitled, "Lactivists: Where is it OK to breastfeed?" Always curious about that kind of thing, I clicked on the link.
And immediately became disgusted.
I have this issue of Babytalk. As oblivious as I am, I didn't even notice the cover till I got further into the magazine and noticed a blurb asking for people's response on the cover. I flicked back to the cover, said, "Oh, OK," and went back to reading.
What I don't understand is people's visceral reaction to something that is normal and necessary to the well-being of a baby!! While I don't understand the poetry some people can compose regarding the beauty of breastfeeding, I do understand that it's the best way of feeding a baby. I myself wasn't able to nurse Grace, but I'm completely supportive of people who want to breastfeed and think it shouldn't be hidden. I'm okay with people who go into the Macy's lounge to breastfeed while resting on their comfortable couch, but I'm just as okay with women who breastfeed on a bench in the middle of the mall. I have yet to see a woman's naked boob; all the mothers I've ever seen have been extremely discreet.
Where did we begin to sexualize a woman's breast to begin with? I understand that it's a big turn-on for men since they are very visual, but a breast isn't always a sexual thing.
I am a huge fan of watching Plastic Surgery: Before and After on the Discovery Health Channel. Frequently are featured women who have either a breast augmentation or breast reduction operation. In both cases, the breasts are fuzzed out during surgery and in the before and after photos. Why??? There is no way that seeing breasts in the midst of surgery is sexual.
One day I watched an episode that featured a woman in the process of getting surgery to become a man. To that end, she (he? I'm never sure of the proper pronoun to use in these situations, and I'd hate to offend) wanted a mastectomy to remove both breasts. In the before photo, her breasts were fuzzed out. But in the after photo, no fuzzing was used because now she had male breasts! They were the same person's breasts, but apparently the woman's version need to be hidden and fuzzed out.
In Europe women go topless on the beach. I think part of the reason American women are so obsessed with their bodies is partly because the only naked breasts they see are the ones that are perfectly airbrushed and surgically enhanced when they come across their husband's/boyfriend's dirty magazines. If we could go around topless on the beach like they can in Europe, I believe more women would realize that breasts come in all shapes and sizes, just like people, and become more comfortable in their skin.
Back to the breastfeeding thing: Americans need to realize that breastfeeding is the most natural and healthy way to nurture a child. If some woman is out in town nursing under a blanket, then ignore it. If it really bothers you, then walk away. But don't step on her right to feed her baby whenever and wherever her baby needs to eat. Just get over yourselves already.