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My, What a Prophetic Headline

zuzu

Apparently, there’s been quite a hue and cry over this magazine cover.

It’s a parenting magazine. With a nursing baby on the cover. And OH MY GOD IT’S A BREAST! A BREAST!

The cover story?

“Why Women Don’t Nurse Longer.”

Can’t imagine why.

H/T: Tbogg.

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42 thoughts on My, What a Prophetic Headline

  3. What I see is a baby and mother bonding. How absolutely lovely. Shameful that many others see dirty-boobie-shot. This is not sexual, its nurturing. People need to get overthemselves.

  4. The quotes from that article are so ridiculous… but not in a funny way, because that’s unfortunately how so many people think.

    “Men are very visual,” says Wheatley, 40, of Amarillo, Texas. “When they see a woman’s breast, they see a breast — regardless of what it’s being used for.””

    So we must protect men from themselves? I think we can reasonably expect more from men than that. Most men are perfectly capable of not being perversely attracted to a breastfeeding mother… and if they’re not, so what? Should that stop women from doing what’s healthy and natural for their babies?

    This part actually is funny, though:

    “I don’t want my son or husband to accidentally see a breast they didn’t want to see.”

    Hahahah, I really doubt that it’s the breasts they don’t want to see that she’s concerned about…

  5. The curvature of flesh! I am rendered speechless in horror!

    These must be the same people who have to cut certain pictures out of National Geographic, right?

  6. Do you ever get the feeling that all these people screaming OMG THE DIRTY at mundane and completely nonsexual things are convinced it’s dirty because it turns them on?

  7. My mum suggested the other day that nursing mothers should go into schools and breastfeed in front of the kids before they’re old enough to pick up these weird “ick, boob, put it away” messages. But I think portraying a few women casually breastfeeding in soaps and so on would do more good.

  8. My favorite line from the whole article, what the magazine’s editor said:
    “It’s not like women are whipping them out with tassels on them!”
    When I worked at the mall, a woman in the store was breastfeeding her baby with her baggy t-shirt raised up a little and I didn’t even notice until the third time I passed by. I’m all for privacy, discretion and manners, but honestly, this whole flap about the very tasteful and utterly unsexual magazine cover is completely ridiculous.

  9. Do you ever get the feeling that all these people screaming OMG THE DIRTY at mundane and completely nonsexual things are convinced it’s dirty because it turns them on?

    YES.

  10. Do you ever get the feeling that all these people screaming OMG THE DIRTY at mundane and completely nonsexual things are convinced it’s dirty because it turns them on?

    Dammit, Natalia, you stole my post!

    The baby’s head is clearly the focus of the shot. I bet the people who complained about this are exactly the same ones who have to practically break their necks to see some nip b/c the nursing woman is actually being discreet.

    And what’s with the women who act all offended? Notice how they’re never offended on their own behalves; but on someone else’s…usually a male relative (“my husband/son shouldn’t have to see that”)?

    Are they worried that hubby might lose control at the sight of a breast and start humping a nursing mom’s leg, thereby embarrassing her for his lack of manners and public proclaimation that their breasts aren’t enough to satisfy him? Or are they just so brainwashed by the patriarchy that they’re complicit in the objectification and oversexualization of their own bodies?

  11. Not just the baby’s head, but the baby’s adoring gaze, is the focus of the shot.

    (And if I may preen, my eyes are that color.)

  12. Just another reminder of the fact that this country was founded by bloody puritans.

    Yes, you are correct. And SO MANY of this country’s problems can be traced back to that fact.

    Amen.

  14. I just hope all the new American moms out there who want to breastfeed their babies continue to stay strong in the face of idiocy.

    I don’t live in the states, I have travelled the world extensively, and I nursed my child for two years (which BTW is the World Health Organization’s best reccomendation) and I swear to you, only in the states does anyone even bat an eyelash.

    I don’t get this at all. If you don’t want to see something, look away. And then spend some time THINKING about what exactly your problem is.

  16. Glad you mentioned this, since it was the first thing I read today and my “why I must leave the country immediately once I graduate” list is now one item longer.

  17. When I worked at the mall, a woman in the store was breastfeeding her baby with her baggy t-shirt raised up a little and I didn’t even notice until the third time I passed by.

    While my daughter was still a CLP, I saw a woman breastfeeding on the train. At least, I’m pretty sure that’s what she was doing – the happy quiet baby pressed to her chest was a bit of a clue – but it wasn’t obvious enough that I dared walk up to her and ask for tips.

  18. It’s a baby having a meal. *sigh* But not to some dirty-minded sickos, I suppose.

    If I remember right, there have been other magazines with nursing mothers on the cover (Mothering comes to mind, but I’m sure there have been others). I just don’t understand what the big deal is this time.

  19. I really, really don’t see what the big deal is. It’s a breast with a baby attached. So what. Kid’s gotta eat and the food is right there. Those people are morons.

    I personally hated breastfeeding. I don’t feel like I bonded more with my kids because of it, but I did it for almost a year with both of them, because it is better for them than formula and it’s free. And I did it wherever I happened to be when the kid got hungry–in restaurants, stores, parks, parties, and even contorted over a car seat on long road trips while the husband drove (unsafe, I know, but I never unstrapped the kids and I didn’t want to make the already long 8 hour trip to my mom’s even longer by stopping since my kids were slow eaters) . I got lots of looks, many truckers got an eyeful, but no one ever said anything to me. I sort of wish someone had because things like this make me angry and then I have no one to yell at.

  22. I was having a conversation about this very issue a few weeks back with one of my (straight male) friends. He insisted that public breastfeeding is gross, on the following grounds: “anytime someone whips out an orifice and there’s fluid coming out of it, you don’t want to see that.”

    …which is of course to be interpreted as, ‘Ow! My straight male privilege! I can’t be exposed to a breast being used for what they’re actually for, or else ogling them might be less pleasurable for me!’

  23. Man, if he doesn’t know that a breast isn’t an orifice, he probably hasn’t seen one up close.

  25. Amazing how humanity managed to this long, as apparently the sight of a baby sucking on a naked breast is enough to drive even the strongest men utterly insane.

  26. you know, it’s not the sight of the breast that bothers me, although I do prefer that everyone around me conform to societal standards of modesty, it’s the drool coming out of the baby’s mouth when it lets go that grosses me out. Baby spit grosses me out in all circumstances, breastfeeding, bottle feeding, mushy peas feeding, general drool. ick. Adult spit also grosses me out, but at least adults manage to keep it in their mouths most of the time.

    And honestly, so in this culture we want breasts covered. so what? We want butts and genitals covered, too. in certain circumstances, we want midriffs, shoulders, and thighs covered. Every culture has a standard of modesty, and they are all equally arbitrary. Do we keep railing against them until everyone is free to walk around naked whenever they want? Why?

  27. Women who breastfeed in public generally show a lot less cleavage than your average co-ed does. But we wouldn’t dream of telling the luscious, buxom co-eds to cover up.

  28. But we wouldn’t dream of telling the luscious, buxom co-eds to cover up.

    I would*. I see your point, though.

    *actually, I wouldn’t b/c I think it’s rude to walk up to a complete stranger and offer unsolicted comments on their attire. but sometimes I’d like to.

  29. This one got me too: “Men are very visual,” says Wheatley, 40, of Amarillo, Texas. “When they see a woman’s breast, they see a breast — regardless of what it’s being used for.”

    Uhm, no. Context matters. Mom didn’t breastfeed us, but other family did. I first remember seeing a baby on a boob (mom’s cousin) around 8 or so. I asked a couple questions, she answered; that was it. When I was 16-17 & at the height of adolescent horniness the sight of a baby on a boob left me thinking “What a cute baby.” Other contexts were different, like when I caught a glimpse of a girl’s breast through her sleeve hole and couldn’t go up to the chalkboard, lest I embarras myself.

    The person who saif they should show breasfeeding in school was right on. It’s a good idea to learn the primary purpose of the breast before they get the sexual context.

  30. Patriarchy doesn’t like being reminded of the PRIMARY PURPOSE of women’s breasts.

    Breasts = Woman, Woman = Sex, therefore Breasts = Sex.

    The secondary purpose of breasts is for the sexual pleasure of THE WOMAN. There is NO third purpose such as a man’s arousal (which is to a large extent, socially conditioned to be breast-focused in Western society).

    The Breast has now been so over-sexualised in this society, that most of the population* cannot see breasts as anything other than for sex, or representing sex. (*not us of course!)

    I have never been one to go gah-gah over babies, but I think that the picture is really beautiful (but not quite beautiful enough to convince me to ever have one!)

    I also liked the earlier comment by Caroline:

    “I don’t want my son or husband to accidentally see a breast they didn’t want to see.”
    Hahahah, I really doubt that it’s the breasts they don’t want to see that she’s concerned about…

    I note too, that the article contained only women interviewed regarding the cover. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but isn’t that a bit like Patriarchy trotting out the odd brainwashed woman to defend porn? (“see, other women like/dislike whatever we are trying to ram down your throats”.)

    Yet another problem is the publishers of this magazine, Time Inc, part of the Time Warner group, which also own IPC here in the UK http://www.timewarner.com/corp/businesses/detail/time_inc/index.html and who publish such misogynist bibles such as Loaded and Nuts (“Lads’ Mags”). As Mighty Ponygirl illustrates the “acceptable” and “unacceptable” images of female breasts on magazine covers.

    Personally, I’d like to see this cover on big billboards plastered all over the London Underground – Yeah guys, breasts are actually for breast feeding, not your sicko twisted titillation nor to appease your superiority complexes.

  31. I wonder if the reaction would have been different had the breast in question (that is, by the way, an absolutely adorable picture. That is nursing-baby-breast-worship, and it’s a beautiful sight) been more like mine when I was nursing second son: little, droopy and still the object of unreserved affection by the little beastie. I think there were blue veins, too.
    I kinda miss nursing. I don’t so much miss having babies, but I miss my brief stint as The Amazing Superboob: Able to completely silence a screaming baby with just one suck!

  32. And honestly, so in this culture we want breasts covered. so what? We want butts and genitals covered, too. in certain circumstances, we want midriffs, shoulders, and thighs covered.

    Butts and genitals and midriffs and shoulders and thighs cannot provide sustenance for another human being. At least, mine don’t.

    I haven’t seen anyone here support the idea that women should be free to whip out their boobs for any reason. It’s the “feeding” part that’s important in breastfeeding, not the “breast” part.

  33. Pingback: Sufficient Scruples » Blog Archive » The Horror! The Horror!

  34. Sometimes I just think certain people never tire of telling woman what they can and can-not do with their bodies.

  35. Why Women Don’t Nurse Longer.”

    Can’t imagine why.

    I read that article on parenting.com so I didn’t ge the mag with the heartwarming cover.

    But as to the whole “why women don’t nurse longer” query… I can’t speak for any other mom but for me it was when my daughter got her top front teeth and then her bottom front teeth… ouch. *winces from memory* That ended it pretty much right there.

  36. Big difference between covering up conventions that are trivial to follow and ones that seriously interfere with a person’s freedom of movement. Or, in this case, ability to feed her baby in what would otherwise be the best and most practical way for her.

  37. I’d ditto the comment that the picture is all about the baby and his/her adoring eyes. Plus the picture angle (and whatever photoshopping may have been done) makes the breast hardly seem more than a curve. I had to do a double-take to realize yes, indeedy it was a breast. Which makes the fuss over the photo even more ridiculous. Esp. when many nearby magazine covers will showcase a model in a barely – there bikini showing a lot more than I’ve ever seen with a breastfeeding mother.

    Honestly as long as someone is reasonably discreet when breastfeeding, who cares? It’s perfectly simple to avert one eyes if one doesn’t want to watch. And if the eye averting doesn’t work, then the problem isn’t with the nursing mother is it? Or more simply, it’s easier to control one’s own behavior (and wiser), than forcing others to behave in ways that won’t trouble you (because they won’t.)

  38. It makes me crazy that people get so crazy about this stuff. I mean, death and destruction, blood and gore, pain and horror, are all dinner-table talk, but they can’t stomach a mother and child?

    I admit that I get a little uncomfortable when women I know pull it out for nursing. But I also know that it’s my issue, not there’s.

    And that picture doesn’t even show more than you’d see on the street. I recently saw areola on a bbc.com story about how breast-feeding may help the baby feel less pain. Big deal.

  39. I’ve spent most of my (somewhat short) life in Sierra Leone, West Africa, where public breastfeeding is not only not demonized to such an extent, but actually encouraged. All the churches have seats in the back reserved for nursing mothers. It’s surprising how much America has such contradictory views on such matters. On the one hand, the porn industry is so huge, but people are sqeaumish about a woman breast feeding.

  40. I’m terrified of children, and, as such, may not have any, but if so, I would totally miss not getting to breast feed, because seriously, is that not just the coolest idea ever? You *make food* from your own body for the baby! How is that not awesome?

    So when I see moms feeding babies, that’s what I think of.

    My partner and I were in a restaurant where a big family was gathered, and one of the moms was feeding her baby, and I asked him what he thought, and his response was, ‘well everyone else is eating, why should the baby have to wait? by the way, check out the neat baby-sling that lady has! totally hands-free!’

    but that’s because he’s just neat. and all about the decorative baby-holders.

    besides, I thought the areola and nipple were the ‘dirty parts’ of a breast. Baby’s covering those, so what’s the big deal?

  41. Coming a bit late to this thread, but one thing I’d like to know (and maybe see y’all blog about) is why New York City is one of the most progressive cities but also the least family-friendly. My husband and I both work for companies based out of the south. In the southern (read: red state) locations, there are nursing rooms and onsite daycare. At the New York location, you are on your own with daycare and we just ‘don’t do that’ as far as bringing babies to work and needing to nurse.

    The southern locations also grant 6-8 weeks “childcare” leave (separate from maternity or disability). I get a whopping 10 days.

    People in NYC who have to work have little choice except to either pump or switch to formula after 12 weeks, and it really puts NY to shame. The redstate offices, located in a culture that doesn’t even support women working as much as here, accommodate families, while NYC says “We only want corporate drones, and if you want a family, that’s your problem.” Is it any surprise women don’t nurse long out here?

  42. Well, it could just be a cost differential (NYC rents being so much more expensive than those of Southern office parks), plus the fact that corporations based in NYC aren’t exactly hurting for a talent pool. If they had more trouble attracting workers, they might be a little more generous with benefits.

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