Cranky Fat Feminist Speaks

liberal feminist from the south who ran away to college in the mid-west, and quickly retreated back after my four years were up. trying to save the world one picture book at a time; attempting to live healthier to lose weight, but without giving up beer. challenging the idea that “big is beautiful” as well as what I’ve learned and experienced about women, gender, and feminism from my time in college as well as my time in West Africa. pissed about the apathy of the world, ready to create change one mind at a time.

I'd love any comments you'd like to share! And as always, I'd love for you to click on an ad when you're done reading, it's a simple free way for you to give money towards my student loans!


Friday, July 13, 2012

[feminist] breastfeeding in public






Lately on facebook we've been talking a lot about breastfeeding in public. Many people in American society find it to be "disgusting" "gross" "nudity" or "insensitive"--


Kim: Not going to lie, even as a female I seriously don't want to see anyone nursing. Can't they just put in a nice little room in the malls, with some carpet and a few sofas for moms?

Yvette: One of the biggest complainers about women publicly feeding a child are young women who have never chosen to breast feed or don't have children. What kind of society do we have when we teach young women to hate one of their own natural abilities? Only in America.


Dana: Yes, nursing is natural. You need to be tasteful though. I wouldn't want my ten year old son gawking at it. 


Wendy: Honestly, I dont want to see either one in front of my face when i am trying to eat. Im sorry, but as a nonchild bearing woman with absolutely NO DESIRE to have children, I am tired of self righteous mother throwing their breasts in my face everywhere I turn.-


These were just a few comments on the images above, but what I'm wondering is how our society got to this point. Why did boobs become so sexualized that women can't feed their children in public without risk of being chastised (or even told to go feed their child in the bathroom). 


African woman

Arab woman and child, 1925

East Indian, 1950

painting by Mary Cassatt

Moroccan woman 1909
Why do you think American women's breasts are so sexualized? Why do you think we have become a society in which this is even a topic of debate, instead of a socially accepted norm for all people? While you're pondering your answer, check out these over priced nursing covers which further the idea that a nursing mother should (by society's rules, not by her choice) cover up to feed.

 Trend Lab Polka-Dot Nursing Cover 

Itzy Ritzy Modern Floral Nursing Cover

8 comments:

  1. I am 100% in support but it's quite a fight. A very large number of my intelligent and sensible friends seem to believe that breastfeeding in public is disgusting.

    More often they say, "But I would not want my 10 year old child to see it". What's all that about?

    Sometimes I despair of my fellow humans. How did so many get so screwed up?

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  2. I've never wanted to be a mother, but I think all these photos of women breastfeeding their children are absolutely stunning.

    I'm for it. It's natural. It's beautiful.

    Whip 'em out, ladies. Make the prudes squirm.

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  3. I ask of these mothers who do not want their 10 year old sons to see women's breasts used this way, would they prefer that the first image of a woman's breast they see is one that has been medically enhanced, airbrushed, or glamorized as the woman herself is second-class from the breast portrayed as a sexual object as dipicted in most magazines and pornography? I personally, would rather my children grow up with a holistic view of people and our bodies-not unattaible perfection that is depicted through media.

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  4. When thinking about the "issue" that public breastfeeding has become, I keep coming back to the fact that the entire purpose of breasts are to feed one's young. The highly sexualized notion of female breasts has been generated by us in society. If there is anything to find disgusting within this situation it is the sexualization of women's bodies and especially breasts.

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  5. We are a terminally ill society if we think that using breasts to feed a baby is "disgusting."

    What is WRONG with people?

    To sell cars or hamburgers or porn? No prob.
    To feed babies? Eeuwww!! Icky!!!

    Idiots. Like the dinosaurs, I'm beginning to suspect that our brains are too small to enable us to survive the challenges that are coming. If over half of us are THIS inflexible about something so totally positive and natural, what hope is there for us?

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  6. No child of any age should be 'gawking' at a women breast feeding, please teach your children what breast are supposed to be for. And as far as covers; none of my babies would put up with being covered while they nursed, each of them pulled them off or fussed and wouldn't latch with it on.

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  7. Breasts belong to men--that's what is behind all this fake disgust. How dare you remind men (and apparently some women) what the true function of breasts are! ;)

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  8. The only reason it makes me feel weird is because i don't see it often... But I think it should be allowed for the same reason that breast/cleavage advertisement is allowed. Then we can all get used to it/over it. Keeping in mind that I hope we then stop hearing complaints like "HEY! stop staring at my boobs!" Cause y'know, it goes both ways.

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