Breastfeeding

[AFPheonix]

Ok so one attention-whore lady out of the how many all of us have ever seen breastfeeding gets to cover the entire population of breastfeeders?

[spookysonata]

I thought you'd never seen one? Like the great white?

Anyway, it's true that breasts are sexualized in this culture...but by who? Men who see them as toys, and who have never had to feed a hungry infant. Doesn't mean I have to accept or agree. When my baby is born in a few months, I'll feed him when and where he is hungry.
I WILL be as discreet as possible, but if he doesn't like to be covered by a blanket or shirt, I will absolutely not make him go hungry because random strangers *might* be offended by the fact that I am doing *something* with my (SEXUALIZED) breast. I am not looking for attention or a fight, but anyone who has a smart comment to make will get just that.

Alternatively, anyone who doesn't like it may feel free to recall their manners and look away.

And that's all I got to say about that

[Flyndaran]

I find breastfeeding in public to be disgusting.
It has nothing to do with seeing naked body parts.
It just seems on par with other all natural activities like urinating.

[Xanthina]

I find breastfeeding in public to be disgusting.
It has nothing to do with seeing naked body parts.
It just seems on par with other all natural activities like urinating.

Because peeing and eating are the same things?

Ok, fine, but I would like all people to stop masticating in public.

[The Shadow]

Anyway, it's true that breasts are sexualized in this culture...but by who? Men who see them as toys, and who have never had to feed a hungry infant.

I'm sorry but it's simply not true that only men sexualize breasts. I happen belong to a number of childfree message boards, one of the few places on the internet where women outnumber men, and the women there say pretty much the same thing - that they view breasts as sexual too. And they say they don't particularly like seeing breastfeeding women either. So it's not just "a guy thing".

[Rapscallion]

I suspect the women on a childfree message board are going to say that they find breastfeeding in public unpleasant, because the general tendency is going to be that the members don't really care for children.

I'm childfree and unlikely to change on this, but I don't really mind if women get their breasts out. I'm easily pleased.

Rapscallion

[spookysonata]

Oh, I understand breasts are sexual in this culture. I didn't say it was "a guy thing", but please: I think straight men, as a group, find them more exciting than anyone else.

The point I'm trying to make is that, just because they are sexualized, doesn't mean it's the ONLY possible use for them. Women can be hot, and also be rocket scientists. Breasts can be sexy, and also perform their necessary biological function and feed babies.

[The Shadow]

I'm childfree and unlikely to change on this, but I don't really mind if women get their breasts out.

Ditto. I've said this before and I think it's worth repeating -- I don't mind women breastfeeding in public as long as they try their best to be discreet, which most do. As another poster said, it's only the small minority who are immature and disrespectful about it that I have a problem with. And even though I'm childfree myself, I don't hate children like so many of the rest of them do. But that's a rant I'll save for another time and thread.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I thought you'd never seen one? Like the great white?

That was a similie. Sorry you couldn't understand that; here it is in more simple terms.

I, personally, have never seen a great whilte; however, I don't deny that they exist. That was in response to your comment that just cuz you'd never seen one of those rude mothers, that they didn't exist. I've noticed a lot of people saying, "Well, cuz I've personally never seen *insert person or happening here* then it's a strawman, blah blah blah" which is untrue.

However, I did not say that I'd never seen a rude, whip em out mother. And I NEVER once said that all breastfeeders are like that, so please get off your cross, take the wood, build a bridge, and get over it before you start attacking people just cuz you disagree with them and making yourself look as tho you are a "whip em out" mother.

[spookysonata]

Lace, I'm not attacking anybody, I'm just stating my opinion. You implied you had never seen a blatantly topless woman breastfeeding or whatever, and it occured to me you were using a strawman argument to make your point. No need to attack me.

As for making myself look like a "whip em out mother" please read my posts. I addressed that. If there are people determined to take offense by the fact of what I'm doing, I cannot help that.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Sorry; I just get a bit paranoid when it seems as tho someone is trying to pick apart something I said, just to make a point. I don't use strawmen; I just don't see the point. It's like a "and birds go tweet" argument. Also, I sometimes find it hard to put a point across in the written, or typed word. X_x I wonder sometimes if I ever make sense online. -.-

[Flyndaran]

Some to many women will have orgasms while breastfeeding, and people still have the audacity to claim that breasts aren't inherently sexual?

I stand by my opinion that doing it in public is gross. But with that I state that many disgusting things are legal to do in public. Seeing breastfeeding in public doesn't harm me, so the woman's freedom should trump my feelings of ickiness.
For example two gay people kissing, or even holding hands in public, disgusts many, but as the actions harm no one, individual freedom should prevail.

[AFPheonix]

People can orgasm to many things, such as toes getting sucked on, pooping in a diaper, etc. Breasts can be sexual, but they also have a different biological purpose. Besides, sex isn't nearly as scary as some people like to make it. So what if people find breasts sexy? I find male chests and jaw lines to be sexy. Should they cover up all the time too?

[Greenday]

Should they cover up all the time too?

Sometimes they definitely should be.

[Boozy]

I stand by my opinion that doing it in public is gross. But with that I state that many disgusting things are legal to do in public. Seeing breastfeeding in public doesn't harm me, so the woman's freedom should trump my feelings of ickiness.
For example two gay people kissing, or even holding hands in public, disgusts many, but as the actions harm no one, individual freedom should prevail.

I think that's a fair and reasonable stance.

I think you're wrong to find breastfeeding in public gross, but so what? You have no intention of restricting my personal freedoms based on that opinion, so it shouldn't matter to me at all. And so it doesn't.