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So check out (warning - following link contains the side of a breast and a baby's head, if either of these things offends you, don't click!) this article. For Houston and Katrina and Limbuds, who will be reading this after the collapse of western civilization, the article talks about how a photo of a nursing baby led to a baby magazine getting an incredibly negative response to that image - from mothers! Um... it's a breast. We all understand (in the US) that breasts are attractive to most men, and are a primary focus of sexual attention. But you know what? They're layers of adipose tissue and glands covered in skin. Oh, they also got this nipple thing. But are breasts offensive? Does the sight of the side of a breast need to evoke such squeamishness? If you look at the picture, the breast could be a lump of beer-belly fat, or the back of a plump elbow. Sheesh.
It's like we've stopped valuing modesty and have adopted a weird legalistic prudishness. In England, people drive to the beach in their clothes, drop their drawers right there on the beach, and slip into their swimming things. These things which drag our souls around are called "bodies" and everyone has one. We might not want to see certain features of certain bodies, but we can look away. I mean, i don't want to hear or smell farts, but they're part of being human. They're not obscene.
Yeah... and with modern clothing styles, i'm presented with cleavage everywhere i go, some of it expansive. I'm a grown up, and i can manage not to have seizures everytime a girl in a low cut t-shirt walks by. And i hope very much that we'll be able to teach our kids that bodies are just a fragile part of something far greater, more beautiful, and even immortal.
Thank you for writing this!
I think these people are insane for freaking out over a boob. It’s a baby! It’s a boob! Boobs feed babies!
Very strange.
-- Gerah Dutkiewicz (Email) (URL) - 31 July '06 - 07:38
So true!
-- Richard Maloley (Email) - 31 July '06 - 20:44
This is an interesting thing I have been witness to working at a co-op, mothers frequently just pull out and nurse right in the dining area, or while walking around shopping (granted appropriately with out letting it “all hang out”). No one bats an eyelid or makes a stink. I think down to earth people surround me; I am so blessed for this. Women and men alike should celebrate parenthood and smile lovingly when witnessing the life-giving act of nursing. If someone is offended by breast feeding, how on earth do they cope with as Juanito put it “modern clothing styles, i’m presented with cleavage everywhere i go, some of it expansive”… not to mention driving on any highway or street with billboards with adds for beer or liquor to name the worst. I hope that in my life I will continue to choose wisely that witch I take offence to. The day a boob offends me someone put me out of my misery. I personally quite enjoy the human body, all of its features… tall people, short people, skinny people, plump people and one of the most sacred imo the pregnant woman’s body. This is probably in part because I am married to a massage therapist who spends a great amount of time studying human anatomy… I have become quite fascinated by the complexity of our bodies and how they work. I am comfortable with my intention and motive when looking at the naked human from. I am sad at the stigma nudity has in many circles. I am sad that our society regressed to this.
-- jj - 31 July '06 - 20:45
juanito,
good post. although i have to say that there are some mothers whotake the whole breastfeeding being natural and beautiful way too far.
on another note i would like to challenge your notion that our bodies drag our souls around. our bodies were made for our souls and our souls were made for our bodies. the two were never meant to be separate. disembodied souls are an affront and are completely unnatural. along the same line, our bodies will be made new and perfected and will be immortal along with our souls. this is all to say that we may very well see breasts in heaven. the horror!
-- travis (Email) - 01 August '06 - 01:13
Mmm, Karen’s blog post from today has pics of her tummy. She’s really pooking out as far as ever, and with the birth scheduled for tomorrow, she’ll not be so protuberant then! Weird.
I am simply astounded by the whole conception gestation birth cycle. Nursing too. It mystifies me and amazes me. The complexity and beauty sometimes make me feel like laughing and crying, and with both of our kids, i did cry.
Totally related subject: i don’t know how people can say there’s no God. The very idea that our universe of atoms and molecules and galaxies is actually All There Is is unthinkable to me. I think that if it were possible for me to really believe that there was no God, then it would be certain that i don’t exist.
-- juanito (Email) (URL) - 01 August '06 - 01:28
Travis, could you give me an example of a “mother who take the whole breastfeeding being natural and beautiful way too far.” I suspect I know where you’re going with that but it is a statement that I feel could use some elaboration. Plus, I have enjoyed your input in past comments and would love to hear more from you. I also have to say I agree with you in that the human body is not just a bag for the soul.:)
Anyway, hope to see what kind of behavior you consider “too far” in breast-feeding.
-- jj - 01 August '06 - 18:47
travis, you sure DO like to challenge, don’t you?! :)
-- karla (Email) - 01 August '06 - 23:14
karla, i guess it’s true. just consider me a gadfly in the blogosphere.
jj, all i mean by too far is that while yes, people tend to overreact to the whole breast feeding thing, there are still appropriate times and places to engage in the activity. we are all defined at least somewhat by our culture whether we like it or not and just because breast feeding is acceptable in certain places in some cultures doesn’t mean that it is appropriate for our culture. for instance, i don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect a woman not to breastfeed in the front row of church during a sermon. that may be an extreme example but my point is just that… actually, i’m tired and i’m not entirely sure what my point is. maybe it’s that the women who go to far with breastfeeding are the ones who have a sense of entitlement about it and act as if anybody who has a problem with them doing it wherever they want must be a jerk. so yeah, i’m tired which means that’s about the best i can offer for now.
-- travis (Email) - 02 August '06 - 00:34
Yes, Travis, i totally believe that the body and soul are integrated and co-necessary… i’m no Gnositc. In fact, i thought about saying so in the original post, but didn’t think anyone would care. Good grief. But i’m immensely pleased that you caught my sloppy doctrine and commented on it! I’m nearly laughing out loud. :)
-- juanito (Email) (URL) - 02 August '06 - 12:08
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