Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Breastfeeding: Are We Really Talking About This Still?

Good morning my friends. I had no intention of writing a blog this morning when I got up but several news stories have really got me worked up and I thought it best that I write out my frustrations rather than carry them around all day. So let's get this show on the road before I have a brain hemorrhage and my head explodes.

It continues to amaze me how intolerant and ignorant some people can be. The human race has been around for thousands of years (tens of thousands depending on what you believe) and yet still we continue to struggle with something so very simple as respect. You thought I was going to say equality, equity or some other idealistic achievement of human tolerance didn't you? Well I'm not because it isn't about those things because they mean nothing without a certain level of respect. Tolerating me because I'm gay (I'm not) and not liking me is nothing more than lip service which leaves the door open for more hate. Equality cannot be achieved without some form of respect and understanding.

My beef is breast feeding. Why is this conversation even happening? Why do I have to sit here and waste my energy and emotions on something that is more natural than most everything else we do as human beings? Let me explain to you how this process works. A woman has a child, the child needs food, the female body, coincidentally, produces food (really high quality, nutrient rich milk)...is any of this making sense? Good; it's supposed to. So what, in whatever God's name you worship, is the problem? Even if you're a hard core extreme religious zealot you must acknowledge that this process is God's plan but yet yesterday I had to deal with a Twitter feed for over an hour that was a debate on breast feeding in public.

Have you turned on the television lately? How about surfing through YouTube? Maybe you're one of those rare people who actually reads magazine's still? What do you see? Continued sexualization of women. Women used as sex objects to sell products or services; using the beauty and grace of female sexuality to convince people to buy this or do that. It's almost sickening; especially nowadays that we're doing it to our women younger and younger (go see what Miley Cyrus looked like as Hannah Montana when she started but I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about). All this constant bombardment and use of women as purely sexual creatures to be used and exploited but whip out a nipple to feed a starving baby and suddenly you are an affront to humanity? Sometimes less than human...where are our principles? What happened to them? Sex sells I suppose and maybe that's the problem.
Two people sharing Intimacy

Sex is not a marketing tool. At it's most basic roots it is nothing more than a means to an ends; a function of survival to propagate the species. More expanded from this root is the emotional and psychological side of  sex. Sex began as instinct because that's how primitive humans survived: instinct. We are no longer that primitive people; we have grown, we have evolved, we have gained in knowledge and thus our perceptions have changed. Sex is no longer a means of survival, it has become something much more. It has become an intimate act of the physical manifestation of attraction and emotion felt between two human beings. It's purpose is for pleasure, love and expression. It is the unity of two people in a single moment that melts away all reality around you. It is a sacred and holy bond shared between two human beings that unifies them together in euphoric bliss, culminating in an orgasmic explosion shared between the physical and the mental. Sex is not for sale; it is for sharing (that's metaphorical; see what you will).
More people sharing Intimacy

Selling sex for profit? Good. Sexualizing women for profit? Good. Breast Feeding? Bad. Seriously, I think that it is time that we as a species take a huge step back from our own egos and think about where we are going. When war, death and fraud are commonly accepted practices; when the exploitation of women for profit is considered commonplace; when sex becomes a platform for advertising instead of an expression of true emotion (I believe EVERY sexual experience is meant to be a shared physical and emotional experience); and finally, when the natural process of our nature is considered wrong, shunned and in some cases (just ranting here; not based on fact) I am sure it is probably outlawed I think we may have misread our moral compass. 

So what do we do? Well, for starters we can start showing some respect to women; some equity and equality would probably go a long way to making things a little bit better but the best thing that can be done is to consider how you may inadvertently promote gender inequality in your own life. I use language that is predominantly male-oriented and I make a conscious effort to change it. A small step, but it's a step. I also do not buy products or services that use women and sex to sell to me. Don't get me wrong, I love intimacy as much as any man and women are the ultimate beings of sexuality, but it should be their choice to express it.

And women, if you want to breast feed in public, do it. Don't let the ignorant and narrow-minded people try to pressure, force or shame you into feeling guilty for doing what nature intended of you. You are all beautiful and amazing creatures of life and love; without you, none of us would be here. Thanks for putting up with our shit for all this time; I love you.

5 comments:

  1. I don't know if you are male or female (I'm assuming male because of how you're referring to "you" for women), but I am a new mother of a 2 month old baby. I really like what you wrote here. I breastfeed my baby, and I do feel pressure breastfeeding in public. When it's best for my baby, I will go into another room. If I can, I will go into a dressing room at a store or someone's bed room at a friends house. However, there are times when I cannot leave, such as in a restaurant or inside my friend's one bedroom apartment. Keep in mind that I am decent. I keep myself covered and unless someone was staring directly at me, my parts are not visible. Even when I'm with some of my closet friends, I feel this awkward discomfort, like they are thinking, "is she really doing this right now?" I will never deny my baby food. I know when she needs to eat and when she can wait. We each have a right to decide when we eat, babies are no different.

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  2. As a man I can say that it is wrong for women to feel bad about breast feeding in public. I personally wouldn't want my wife's breast to be on public show, as I personally believe that's my privilege. Any how, if she makes an effort to show some discretion, then people shouldn't be perving. You made a very valid point about the over sexualisation in western culture of women and men actually, and that has a lot to do with the stigma that is attached to breast feeding.

    I think it was also an excellent point that you brought out regarding showing lot's of flesh to sell a car or shower gel is ok, but showing flesh to feed is a big no no... I was quite alarmed at Sasha's point about feeding amongst her closest friends...I would've thought that would've been one of the most acceptable places to do it. I'm fine being naked in front of other men (I'm heterosexual) but I wouldn't do it in front of other women. I know in Norway and Finland, sauna's are a big thing but they don't really mix male and female so much when doing them...if they are naked that is. So, I just thought other females would be fine with their close female friend breastfeeding in front of them.

    We got a lot to learn I guess

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  3. Nis morning. Having a coffee and smoke, reading your Blog. I just dont see what the problem is with the breast feeding thing. Just a case of a few having louder voices than mosy I am guessing. Those that oppose have a right to be offended if that is the way it makes them feel. Sex has so many faces that we as indvidauls couldn't possibly understand them all. For myself, I don't even understand the problem with nudity period. When I get up in the morning for my first trip to the toilet for the day and see myself naked in the mirror I give myself a thumbs up. Not because I like what I see with a body that is well on the downside of years of life but mostly for the reason I am still alive lol. Let the few complain about seeing a partially covered breast and go home to enjoy the comforts of sucking on a friends big toe. You have yourself a good day and don't let the little stuff get in the way of enjoying the fact that you are the majority.

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  4. Hey Prince 1987...

    I was a little outraged with "I personally wouldn't want my wife's breast to be on public show, as I personally believe that's my privilege". Wouldn't that be similar to saying you shouldnt be allowed to pee in public toilet urinals, because no one should see your... thats your wife's privilege?

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