Babytalk magazine -- Old news, but worth another mention.....
While cleaning off my desk, I started sorting through the pile of old magazines that's been collecting dust. The second one in the pile was an issue of Babytalk from August 2006. just_colleen, I'm sure that you'll remember it -- you posted an entry about the controversy over the cover [Beware: Although most people wouldn't be offended, I'm including a disclaimer! This link leads to a news article about the controversy, complete with a picture of the cover!], back when it first came out. Upon reading your entry, I knew I had that issue, but it hadn't even registered that it might be considered 'offensive' by some people. And, after thumbing through the magazine again, I was even more appalled by the outrage some people expressed. For anyone who's lost at this point, the aforementioned cover was a photo of a baby breastfeeding. Oh. My. Goddess. How dare a parenting magazine -- which encourages breastfeeding by any and all mothers who choose to do so -- publish a magazine with a picture of -- *gasp* -- the side of a bare breast, with a baby latched on, and, presumably, happily working on lunch!! *rolls eyes* Oh, wait, I forgot -- breastfeeding is only socially acceptable when it's done in the privacy of one's home, as well as away from any guests or relatives who might take offense at seeing a baby taking nourishment in the manner they've done for... well, forever!!!
Anyway -- in this issue, the editor's note at the beginning includes the following passage: We hope you find this special report meaningful, and that our ground-breaking cover will start a dialogue in a country that doesn't mind sexed-up TV shows but can't seem to stomach the sight of a mom breast-feeding at the mall.
I personally did not breastfeed any of my children. I wanted to with my oldest. However, he was born prematurely, without yet having developed the 'rooting' reflex. By the time he was old enough to suck on a pacifier, bottle, or breast, my body had decided that I wasn't going to need a milk supply, and adjusted itself accordingly. Regardless of my own choices, though, I see no reason why any woman should have to feel ashamed of breastfeeding their child. It's not some vile, disgusting act that should be hidden away from all except those involved; it's how women's bodies were created. Why should I be offended by a picture of it????
When I was a kid, the only person I personally knew who breastfed their kids was my aunt. Even at the age of four or five, I was fascinated with this idea. Of course, I was pretty much clueless on the options and the 'controversy' of the whole thing... but the thought of such a close bond with one's child completely floored me. I very clearly remember one evening, when my aunt and uncle came to visit with their two kids. I believe we were watching old home movies, of my great-grandfather [who had passed away not too long before]. My little cousin, who was about 6 months old at the time, started crying to be fed. Without announcement, embarrassment, or apology, my aunt nursed her right there in our living room. I probably made her a little uncomfortable by staring [which I know I did], but it wasn't out of shock or embarrassment -- I was enthralled by this whole concept. I believe I was thinking something like, "Wow -- she's feeding her baby, and she didn't have to go get a bottle or anything! That's cool!" Of course, at the age of 5, I didn't quite have that kind of thought process, but I remember the thoughts well enough.
I don't know -- maybe it's because I wasn't raised to be embarrassed by it. When I was a kid, we had an 'open-door' bathroom policy, except when my dad was in there [my brother wasn't old enough to worry about modesty until I was about 15]. We thought nothing of rushing into the bathroom to use the toilet or to wash our hands or brush our teeth, while my mother was in the bathtub. My mother regularly spent an entire day in nothing more than a shirt and underwear [usually in the summer, when it was too damned hot to wear more was necessary]. I grew up thinking there was no reason to be embarrassed about a person's body. And I still believe that.
So why are so many people insistent on being embarrassed and outraged by this shit??? One mother of a 4-month-old actually said, "Gross, I am sick of seeing a baby attached to a boob." ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! What is wrong with these people???? They can handle mostly-unclothed people, characters in shows engaged in almost anything short of actual intercourse on prime-time TV, guns, violence and drug-use.... but they can't accept a public image of a woman feeding her child????
Leave it to me to bring up really old stuff to bitch about.... but with the wording of the editor's note, you would think most of those anal-retentives would've realized they were just being jackasses and contributing to the problem. *rolls eyes* So yeah, basically, I just wanted to bitch about something, and it seemed like a good idea at the time. ;)
Anyway -- in this issue, the editor's note at the beginning includes the following passage: We hope you find this special report meaningful, and that our ground-breaking cover will start a dialogue in a country that doesn't mind sexed-up TV shows but can't seem to stomach the sight of a mom breast-feeding at the mall.
I personally did not breastfeed any of my children. I wanted to with my oldest. However, he was born prematurely, without yet having developed the 'rooting' reflex. By the time he was old enough to suck on a pacifier, bottle, or breast, my body had decided that I wasn't going to need a milk supply, and adjusted itself accordingly. Regardless of my own choices, though, I see no reason why any woman should have to feel ashamed of breastfeeding their child. It's not some vile, disgusting act that should be hidden away from all except those involved; it's how women's bodies were created. Why should I be offended by a picture of it????
When I was a kid, the only person I personally knew who breastfed their kids was my aunt. Even at the age of four or five, I was fascinated with this idea. Of course, I was pretty much clueless on the options and the 'controversy' of the whole thing... but the thought of such a close bond with one's child completely floored me. I very clearly remember one evening, when my aunt and uncle came to visit with their two kids. I believe we were watching old home movies, of my great-grandfather [who had passed away not too long before]. My little cousin, who was about 6 months old at the time, started crying to be fed. Without announcement, embarrassment, or apology, my aunt nursed her right there in our living room. I probably made her a little uncomfortable by staring [which I know I did], but it wasn't out of shock or embarrassment -- I was enthralled by this whole concept. I believe I was thinking something like, "Wow -- she's feeding her baby, and she didn't have to go get a bottle or anything! That's cool!" Of course, at the age of 5, I didn't quite have that kind of thought process, but I remember the thoughts well enough.
I don't know -- maybe it's because I wasn't raised to be embarrassed by it. When I was a kid, we had an 'open-door' bathroom policy, except when my dad was in there [my brother wasn't old enough to worry about modesty until I was about 15]. We thought nothing of rushing into the bathroom to use the toilet or to wash our hands or brush our teeth, while my mother was in the bathtub. My mother regularly spent an entire day in nothing more than a shirt and underwear [usually in the summer, when it was too damned hot to wear more was necessary]. I grew up thinking there was no reason to be embarrassed about a person's body. And I still believe that.
So why are so many people insistent on being embarrassed and outraged by this shit??? One mother of a 4-month-old actually said, "Gross, I am sick of seeing a baby attached to a boob." ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! What is wrong with these people???? They can handle mostly-unclothed people, characters in shows engaged in almost anything short of actual intercourse on prime-time TV, guns, violence and drug-use.... but they can't accept a public image of a woman feeding her child????
Leave it to me to bring up really old stuff to bitch about.... but with the wording of the editor's note, you would think most of those anal-retentives would've realized they were just being jackasses and contributing to the problem. *rolls eyes* So yeah, basically, I just wanted to bitch about something, and it seemed like a good idea at the time. ;)