Friday, April 6, 2012

Dual Purpose

I read a blog post recently about an older ad that talked about breast feeding and bonding with your baby and your man. The poster was upset because breasts were being sexualized again. It made me think about all the "lactivists" fighting for breast feeding and trying to remove the sexual stigma from breasts. Is that really what we need to do?

Each body part has many uses, breasts are not the exception. As a young woman, my breasts are a HUGE part of my sexuality. They were also a huge part of my parenting. They can be both, and that is ok.

I think the focus needs to be that they aren't just sexual, they are a happy place whether for you and your partner or for you and your baby.

I feel like we need to be a little more gentle with the women who say things like "they're for my husband" and the like. For as long as they can remember breasts have been sexual and saying that boobs are for breast feeding does not change that image. We need to talk to them about ways to stay intimate with their partners and how breast feeding does not mean that they are off limits. We need to look a little deeper.

2 comments:

  1. I agree 100% with the message this blog is getting across. Albeit I'm not going to get much credit from others for being a man, but it is not hard to know the difference between the times breast are being used for nourishment and the times they are being used for a sexual purpose.

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  2. I think we need to refer to them as breasts, both when talking about the sexually and as a source of food.
    When they get special nick-names "Boobies", "A and B" or whatever, it makes them more of a play thing.
    I don't believe that breasts were designed as only food sources and are convienient to play with. HOWEVER, our society has made breast only sexual....we have to cover up our breastfeeding baby, but can let them hang out in a bikini.
    As for the ad, I think it was tastefully done, but I don't think we need to point out the fact that our partners enjoy them too....that's obvious...it makes the ad almost pornographic. THe one with just the baby latched on is peaceful and loving.

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