Friday, May 07, 2010

What is wrong with people?

This story breaks my heart. What is wrong with people? Why is it OK for people to walk around with their butt stuffed out the tops of their pants, but breastfeeding a child is not? I have personally never had anyone say anything to me, but I've gotten the looks and had someone ask me to use another room because there were "teenagers around." Do you really think a child is going to be traumatized by seeing a breast? If so, T is already in trouble.

8 comments:

jpminard said...

Did you get comments when you were covered or were you exposed?

Jube said...

I have gotten looks both when I was using a nursing wrap and not. I find it draws more attention to use a nursing wrap. 9 out of 10 people don't even realize I'm nursing otherwise. In the one case where I was asked to nurse in another room, I was in a friend's home and asked her if she had a preference.

All that said, I object to the idea that you can be "exposed" while you're nursing a child. We have breasts to feed children. That's why they are there. I don't know of a single nursing mother (and I know quite a few) who take their breasts out, wave them about and get everyone's attention before having their child nurse.

Becky said...

"...who take their breasts out, wave them about and get everyone's attention before having their child nurse."

This mental image made me giggle.

I agree with you. People need to get over it. Half the population has a set of breasts and most of the other half has certainly seen a pair or two. I don't understand what's so upsetting about a breast.

jpminard said...

Well I object that you believe that a part of the body that is associated with sexuality and titillation cannot be exposed even when it's in the context of breastfeeding. While I personally don't find anything at all upsetting about breasts (quite the contrary), if you take your breast out, regardless of intent or purpose, there is a chance that there could be a scene or the reaction may not be positive. As you are certainly aware of we live in a highly religious society, much of which has huge objections to nudity if it isn't on television. Also, some women do flop out their breast in a showy manner at times. Morgan and I were walking down Canal street heading to the Subway one day and I just happened to look left at a woman sitting on the other side of the glass, not breastfeeding, no child at her tit anymore and boob just out for all walking by in New York. Did I point, stare, or go in and tell her to cover up? Of course not. Did I think that her decision to give everyone walking by on Canal street an extended show was a strong choice, yes.

I think that it is great that there are laws on the books in most states (something like 40+) to ensure that breastfeeding is allowed and something like half the states in the country exempt it from public indecency laws. But saying that people should just get over it is short-sighted and narrow minded of you. Not that you don't know this, but people have a very, very wide range of beliefs on sexuality and the human body, and seeing a breast even in the context of feeding a child certainly makes some people uncomfortable.

And all that said, lots of things are natural and lots of things are lawfully protected and some of either or both of those things are going to raise a stink if you do them. I can drop my pants and naturally take a shit anywhere, but I don't and I think that most people are happy about that.

I'm not attempting to be obnoxious about it, but not everyone can just turn off their association of breast with sex when a woman is breastfeeding, so it becomes an unusually touchy subject for some.

I also have another question to expand on the original post. The time that you were asked to use another room, based off the two posts it seems that this was a time you were not attempting any cover, were the "teenagers" both gender?

jpminard said...

Sorry, one more thing about this that I think may be a bit related (maybe not) that may explain occasional parental tunnel vision. As a parent some things just become almost anti-sexual when its related to your child, at least thats been my experience. When Morgan is breastfeeding or pumping I can honestly say that during those times her breasts are completely uninteresting to me. Shockingly so. I think that I'm completely desensitized to them during those periods.

nana said...

In this day and age, I am surprised people are still disturbed by a breast feeding mother. The lack of clothing in our society and amount of nudity would have desensitized people to an partially "exposed" breast.

I'm with you Jenn.

Jube said...

I have a response. It's getting too long for the comments section. I'll post it later today.

jpminard said...

sounds good

 
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