Women's Issues

I'm not demonizing breast-feeding in public.

As I said I wouldn't throw a fuss about it. Just that I would still prefer it to be a private affair.

So, neutral about it.

that and unless society is going to pay for the brest pumps and bottles one is effectively asking women to pay a "boob tax" because some people can't handle the sight of a bit of flesh.

If nothing else there's also the very basic selfish reason that this should be okay, baby's that want to be fed are lousy and noisy, they want to be fed and they want to be fed now, not when mummy has a chance to get somewhere private, pump milk and then feed the then. Why should I have to put up with a baby's crying just because some prude in the corner is afraid of a boob?

Well, of course I would prefer public breast-feeding to noisy baby.

I will look up later on on how much breast pumps are on average.

They are hundreds of dollars. And they fucking hurt.

Put a vacuum tube on your testicles if you want to know how that feels.

My breast is perfectly designed to feed a child. My nipple is safe for my child's mouth.

My body is for me. Not to be sexualized and controlled by men who are so weak they can only see me as their jack off material and not a person

I find amusing the US having issues with breast feeding or breasts in general, in Brazil depending of the state (most of the coastline states) it wouldn't be surprising to see topless women sunbathing.

For breast feeding people usually give zero fucks about it.

If someone is really uncomfortable with watching women breastfeed they could always look in another direction.

Oh God.

For the record, I likely annoyed a lot of tropers in the anime forum for snarking about how the Japanese rely too much on fan service. That would be about 2 years ago.

I'm generally anti-fan service. So preferring breast-feeding to be private affair goes in line with my tendency to roll my eyes when media rely too much on boobs and butts.

Except media that is usually made for young teens using fanservice to appeal to them has nothing to do with a mother taking care of her child?

I've never seen a mother breastfeeding a child portrayed as something sexy.

They could, but they won't. Because there's a nipple being involved.

edited 27th Aug '15 6:19:34 AM by Quag15

I do not roll my eyes when I see women breast-feed in public.

As mentioned already (twice), I would not put up a fuss about it. However, I would still prefer it to be done privately (even if I don't say anything to the mother).

edited 27th Aug '15 6:19:07 AM by probablyinsane

That attitudeis part of the problem.

We have built a culture where men feel entitled to a woman's body and her body is only for his sexual gratification to such a degree that the very thing used to feed and nourish our children has become taboo and needing to be kept private.

This leads to so many other issues in discriminating against women that makes our lives hell.

By asking me to keep the nourishment of my child private, you are reducing my body to a taboo sexual object instead of recognizing me as a person with a human role and responsibilities.

Agreed. I sometimes don't know which is worse, the "for shame: cover your unseemly display up, harlot!" or "how can you display such an intimate, special moment with everybody?" attitude.

Both demonizing the nekkid and putting the "holy rite of motherhood" on an inviolable pedestal just means that an everyday necessity gets blown out of all proportion. <_<

Kids need to eat. Locking mothers and kids up in special corrals until they're less gross ain't the answer. :/

edited 27th Aug '15 6:54:33 AM by Euodiachloris

Do you want everyone to eat where you can't see them? Or just babies? Your attitude forces women to do painful and/or unsanitary things to spare your poor eyes. Fuck that.

If anything, encouraging and normalizing public breastfeeding will help in changing the culture of

BOOBS EQUAL SEX!

to a more healthy attitude of

Breasts are part of the female anatomy. They house the mammary glads which when lactating, produce nourishment for their young just like any other mammal.

Maybe that's the viewpoint of other men (and women).

In my case, it has more to do with breastfeeding woman and child should be in a more (secure) environment.

Over here, our govt. requires lactation stations in the big public areas like malls. They're like lounges.

Though (again and again), I would not discriminate public breast feeding.

It's just a quiet preference.

edited 27th Aug '15 6:52:51 AM by probablyinsane

You keep using words like secure,

what does that mean?

What are you so afraid of? Why should women feeding their children be afraid of that they need their own little hidy hole, regardless of how comfortable it's supposed to be, that we should be shoved in?

What you're doing is continuing the Red Tent Problem where natural and healthy female bodily functions are being stigmatized and considered "other".

Question: do you desperately need a special, secure space to eat a sandwich? Why should we force mothers and babies to hunt the elusive "perfect isolation zone" before baby can eat?

edited 27th Aug '15 7:00:18 AM by Euodiachloris

They've said a bunch of times it's a personal preference, which they will not force on others, and will keep to themselves. So...It's literally just having an opinion.

I mean, I'm female, and even I feel uncomfortable when people are breastfeeding around me. I just look the other way and be done with it, of course, since it's not my body or my kid, but I'm still uncomfortable. Isn't that exactly the same as what the person above is saying? Why is having a personal preference you don't even expect others to follow so wrong?

edited 27th Aug '15 6:58:38 AM by Murataku

It's connected to my preference of only having children when you can comfortably provide for them.

Heck, I would even prefer only having children if you can take a year off working to care for the child.

But if you can't do that, I would not complain. I do not expect my preferences to be a rule.

I haven't yet encountered breastfeeding women being harassed over here, but if I did - I would point-blank inform the harraser to move on.

Breastfeeding in public doesn't do anyone harm, even if I prefer it to be done privately.

I would not describe my reaction as "uncomfortable". It's something else. Can't find the word for it, atm.

edited 27th Aug '15 7:03:28 AM by probablyinsane

I answered that in post 8862

So women with children should just stay in the house for the first year of the baby's life lest they may actually have to breast feed in public?!

Again, Red Tenting the problem.

And still stigmatizing women's bodies and roles.

...You missed the part where I said I don't actually expect anybody to do anything to fix my discomfort. Which is the part I'm asking about.

edited 27th Aug '15 7:09:31 AM by Murataku

Woah, now you think I prefer women and babies to stay at home?

Calm down.

The very fact you feel discomfort to begin with is in itself a problem.

Just because you're not imposing a problematic view on others doesn't make the view any less problematic or that you're not unintentionally encouraging that problematic view.

That's what you are saying.

You don't get it. Kids need to be fed at least every 2-4 hours depending for the first few weeks of their life. And even then that doesn't change for a while.

You keep saying women need a safe place. But you don't seem to understand what it is that you're asking of them.

So if you feel women should only be having babies when they can make them secure, and if they don't want to use public hidey holes and modern Red Tents, then they have no choice but to stay home.

edited 27th Aug '15 7:12:47 AM by Gabrael

Basically squicked out about lactation? Congrats! You have successfully incorporated subliminal cultural messages! -_-