Occasionally, I will leave the confines of a heated subject like abortion and address a really inflammatory topic...
Like breastfeeding in public.
Facebook has a rule against posting photos of women breastfeeding.
It's their website, they can do whatever they want. Although I often strongly disagree with their policies.
I have breastfed three babies. I think it's something to be encouraged and is--à la limite-- morally obligatory, if nothing prevents a mother from doing it. (I think it is implicit in natural law theory, but that's another blogpost).
But people are uncomfortable with breastfeeding for obvious reasons.
Breastfeeding activists behave as if the female breast should not be in the least bit sexual-- like it's not an erogenous zone.
C'mon.
The association between the baby's mouth and the pleasure represented by the female breast is too close for many people's comfort.
There's a reason why we enforce modesty on society. It's about creating boundaries.
Sane individuals do not like mixing sex with kids. It creeps them out. They are normal for feeling that way.
Do people get over the association? Some people do. But the association that comes to mind is pretty obvious.
People who dare to raise their voices against the practice of public breastfeeding are painted as narrow-minded prudes. And who wants to be a prude? A prude is the very picture of backwardness-- immature and weak.
This accusation only makes sense if one pretends that breasts are not sexual body parts, or that the sexual aspect of breasts is entirely constructed. Which it is not. There is a biological reason for them being considered sexual body parts.
Breastfeeding activists insist that their babies' needs are far more important than anyones' feelings about breasts and babies.
Their concerns are supreme.
Nobody else's feelings matter.
Respect is a one-way street.
I'm not really keen on public breastfeeding. I'd rather not see it, but it's not something I'm going to make a big deal about.
I will make a big deal about the way they promote their point of view, though.
I really hate how acceptance of public breastfeeding is imposed instead of brought about through persuasion.
The message seems to be: we're going to breastfeed in your face and you better learn to accept it and like it.
(Facebook also has a policy against showing one's miscarried and stillborn children. A pregnancy loss group can't exchange private photos. I think that's completely stupid, too, by the way.)
UPDATE: This blogpost has been chosen as one of Prolifeblogs.com's "quick picks" (The list frequently changes.)
I wonder how much grief I'm going to get from pro-life lactivists for this post.
