KD writes:


>
>Suggesting that we not struggle against viewing the breast as a sex object
>because both men and women get pleasure out of it (and because it is a
>losing battle) is like saying that people shouldn't have struggled against
>Chinese foot-binding adn the viewing of the bound foot as a sex object
>because men got such great out of it and because it would be a losing
>battle.


Uhuh....I love analogies but not this one.  Why not? 'Cos it just doesn't work!

*Women* get pleasure out of having breasts as part of their sexuality
- not as 'sex objects' BTW - and a part of their femaleness. The fact
men get pleasure too is ok, as well!  A good physical relationship
between partners can enhance closeness and parenting, and the loving
support of bf.

  I *know* you are saying that babies pay the price of the
sexualisation of the breast, because it is not possible, in our
culture, for the breasts not to be objectified, sexualised
(exclusively) and therefore forbidden as nurturers.

I don't think it is impossible. There are individual women and their
partners who live quite happily with the dual function of breasts -
some may put the sexual aspect on hold while they are breastfeeding
(speaking personally, I felt this way when my children were very
small and only having breastmilk - when they got onto solid food my
feelings started to change), some do not.  Scandinavian countries
have a similar Westernised view of the breasts as sexual, yet it does
not appear to prevent women from choosing to breastfeed.

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html