7.27.2006

Breast Fed Baby Causes National Panic?

Click the title to see today' big news story.
I'm sorry, but either MSN is desperate for news or our country has gone stark-raving mad! Granted, I've never been called a prude, quite the opposite in fact...Let's not go there though, suffice it to say I'm an over the top liberal who wishes our forefather's hadn't been pilgrims because our country might have had a fighting chance at being less uptight if they hadn't been.

Summary of the news story: barely shown breast with baby attached causes uproar.
My favorite quote from the story: One mother who didn't like the cover explains she was concerned about her 13-year-old son seeing it. "I shredded it," said Gayle Ash, of Belton, Texas, in a telephone interview. "A breast is a breast — it's a sexual thing. He didn't need to see that."
I'm betting her son has seen more boobage on MTV than he saw on that cover...
But hey, I learned a new word: Lactivist, a woman who supports breastfeeding in public as a woman's right. Did I totally miss the bus on this one? Since when have we not had that right? And who in the hell decided it's a right we now need to fight for?

For roughly four years late-eighties and three years early-nineties I bared in public, regardless of who was watching to nurse my babies whenever they were hungry. Was I discreet? Hell no. Was I challenged? Never. Although once an uptight biddy made a snide remark in a busy shopping mall to which I replied, "And you are watching why?" and kept right on nursing.
Bully for me-I was a lavtivist and didn't even know it!

Enough already.
This is not a news story. This is a few incredibly ridiculous women who are ashamed of their sexuality because the patriarchal fundamentalist churches they are attending make them feel sinful for being born with boobs...

7 comments:

Amie Stuart said...

Keep in mind that Belton is a very small town *eyerolling* and you are so right about MTV!

I remember my dad saying when I was nursing #1 that that's not what boobs were for. Yeah like God gave women boobs and said, "Go forth and pose for Penthouse!"

Whatever........

Roxy Harte said...

Amie,
You crack me up! I may have to use the "God" quote sometime!
Hugs
Roxy

Anonymous said...

The cover didn't show nipple, it didn't show baby latched on, it was kind of a flesh tone curve blocking a baby's face...is that even a real boob?
Now, if it would have been the cover of Nat'l Geographic would that have made it okay because breasts in a village are okay (they aren't civilized, they just don't know any better...no playtex nursers available)
So glad I don't live in the Bible Belt.

Anonymous said...

I so loved this comment:

"I'm totally supportive of it — I just don't like the flashing," she says. "I don't want my son or husband to accidentally see a breast they didn't want to see."

Ladies, do we know any men who don't want to "accidentally" see a breast?

Roxy Harte said...

OMG...I rolled out of my chair laughing my ass off! Then promptly woke up both sleeping daughters to "share a moment". Thank you for the comment Lara!

BTW...I have friends I absolutely KNOW will be offended...but the message behind the commercial "JUST DO IT...BREAST EXAM MONTHLY" Yeah, that's worth offending a few people over...too bad Canada pulled it.

Amie Stuart said...

>>Ladies, do we know any men who don't want to "accidentally" see a breast?

Uhhhh NO!!!! LOL

ROxy a topic near and dear to my heart--pun not intended! I caught so much flack from my family for nursing.

Anonymous said...

I guess I'm a "lactivist", card-carrying La Leche League member.

I breast fed my two whenever and wherever necessary. The worse looks I got were from other women in my age group!!!

We have got to educate all women on the nature of what breasts were designed for--nursing babies. It's not "dirty" to use them as God and nature intended.

My favorite thing to say to women who bugged me about breastfeeding:
"You know... Breastfeeding was good enough for the Virgin Mary and Jesus, so it's good enough for me. Besides I could never find out in the Bible whether Mary used a Playtex collapsible bottle or not."