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Subject:
From:
Kathy Dettwyler <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 7 Jul 2000 13:27:28 -0500
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>We shouldn't be trying to encourage women - or men - to deny or
>>sublimate the breasts' sexual role

I have to disagree with this.  I think we need to vigorously educated people
about the fact that viewing the breasts as sex objects is CULTURAL, not
biological, and therefore not automatic.  Viewing the breasts as sex objects
is one of the MAJOR stumbling blocks to having more children be breastfed,
and for longer periods of time.

It is quite possible to get sexual pleasure out of most any region of the
body -- you learn to get sexual pleasure from your breasts.  You can also
learn to get sexual pleasure from having your toes sucked -- and that
particular belief/behavior doesn't end up with children being bottle-fed or
weaned early and suffering the health and cognitive consequences of such.

There *are* cultures, as I said, where people recognize breasts as primarily
for feeding babies, and also get sexual pleasure out of them without it
seeming to interfere with breastfeeding.  But clearly we in the US have gone
way overboard on the breasts are for sex side of the continuum.  I am not so
naive as to think I can just snap my fingers and voila, people will no
longer view breasts as sex objects.  No -- it takes work and education and
exposure to breasts with babies attached.

I also think that women who are particularly attached to their breasts as
sex objects -- both for getting male attention and for getting pleasure
during sexual activity, are among those LEAST likely to breastfeed, because
they (1) think it is disgusting to have a baby doing what their
husband/boyfriend does (2) get sexually aroused by breastfeeding and then
feel guilty (3) don't want their breasts to get droopy and saggy (and they
believe that this will happen if they breastfeed) and (4) sympathize with
their husband/boyfriend who covets the breasts for himself and so deny them
to their children.

Try toe-sucking.

Kathy Dettwyler

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