Monday, August 07, 2006

Naked Breasts and Babies

I have used some guiding principles when it comes to images on this site. Such as the fact that I don't use nudity. At least not total nudity, including women's breast. OK, Ok, I think I had a couple of nude male butts lately.

Anyway, I don't think I deviate from that policy of almost no nudity using this image from BabyTalk.

But apparently a lot of women don't agree with me.

AFP writes, "I was SHOCKED to see a giant breast on the cover of your magazine," one woman from Kansas wrote in reaction to the picture in Babytalk, a free magazine that caters to young mothers. "I was offended and it made my husband very uncomfortable when I left the magazine on the coffee table."

Yeah, right it made your husband uncomfortable. I would say it probably made the woman worried the husband would like the image.

Let's get real here. The U.S. is the most prudish country in the world. We have made something natural, breastfeeding, into something unnatural. No country on earth has so few women breastfeeding.

The magazine apparently received 5,000 letters from readers, shocked by a baby attached to a nipple. Somehow, I think, breasts have been co-opted as sex toys in this country. But reality is that they're there to feed babies. Not just for big men to play with. Even if that can be fun, too. After all, men never really grow up, which most women are keenly aware of.

AFP continues: "Several readers said they were "embarrassed" or "offended" by the Babytalk photo and one woman from Nevada said she "immediately turned the magazine face down" when she saw the photo."

"Gross, I am sick of seeing a baby attached to a boob," the mother of a four-month-old said.

Another reader said she was "horrified" when she received the magazine and hoped that her husband hadn't laid eyes on it.

What is gross and sickening are these women so scared of another woman's breasts that they go into shock and start writing the magazine.

After all, could these women be more insecure?

Hat tip PharmaGossip.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is it any wonder the SHOCKED woman is from Kansas? Fortunately, she's in the 25% (minority) to respond in the negative. And, she's just going to have to get over herself -

"the Babytalk cover photo marks the first time a major parenting magazine in the United States dares to break the taboo about showing a woman's breast and the outrage it has prompted is not about to discourage editors from doing it again."

Peter Rost said...

Thanks anon. I missed that 25% number among all the negative comments . . . So there is hope after all, except for Kansas.

:)

insider said...

All this in World Breastfeeding Week!

http://www.waba.org.my/

Kansas said...

The women are intimidated (and most likely flat-chested), the men are just jealous of the baby...

Anonymous said...

"So there is hope after all, except for Kansas."

Wellll, things could be looking up for Kansas, there is some good news to report -
"Evolution Opponents Lose Control of Kansas Schools" (Source - (even) F-O-X reported with this election headline dated: Wednesday, August 02, 2006.

Anonymous said...

Very astute, MOONGIRL. :-)

shooter said...

I'm all for public breast-feeding for babies. Since customs, traditions, and sensibilities are so anti-me, me, me, how about public creation of babies? What could be more "natural" than that? Personally, I couldn't care less. I'm a card carrying member of the "let it all hang out, crowd. But the moral certitude and shrillness of those who get a goulish pleasure of "sticking it in granny's face" is a litlle bit deconcerting. But that's just me.

Anonymous said...

Oh for crying out loud, they're from KANSAS...they sleep and shower with their clothes.

Of course then there's FL and this (courtesy of 60 Minutes), not to mention Rushbaugh...
And if you think he is exaggerating, there are plenty more examples in a folder he keeps in his office that’s filled with South Florida news clippings.

"The court had ruled it 'Gators In Bed is Bad Idea,'" says Hiaasen, referring to one clipping. "This was a story about a guy who was sleeping with two full-grown alligators. And a court ruled that he had no constitutional right to sleep with an endangered reptile. And that happened in Florida."

"Was he sleeping with them?" asks Kroft. "Yes," says Hiaasen.

"In what way?" asks Kroft.

"In the way that you're suggesting with your eyebrows," says Hiaasen.