Monday, January 21, 2013

Boobs out for Kochie.

I know everyone on the interwebs has already had a thing or two to say re: our old friend and well known wit and raconteur David Koch and the public breastfeeding thing, and I thought about not mentioning it, but I changed my mind so get ready for my two cents even if it isn't very original.

If you don't know what I'm referring to read it here.  Also I feel the need to add the caveat that I don't care if you bottle feed your baby, people have good reasons, but breastfeeding is really important to me and I feel strongly about it and about creating a culture of public acceptance.

I think for me it was actually today, when he tried to sort of apologise in a half arsed way, that was worse than anything.

This article and also this one are written by people more articulate than I could ever be, but I still want to say this.

Kochie telling women that they should make sure they are being "classy" whenever they are breastfeeding their child, is to me another example of the larger general and commonly heald belief that no matter what a woman is doing, she must AT ALL TIMES be aware of her appearance.  She must always ensure that she is pleasing to the eye, whether she is walking around the shops, getting on a bus, reading the paper at a cafe, running a marathon or God forbid, whipping out a boob to feed a hungry/sad/tired/grizzly baby in public view.  Everything she does must be in full consideration of others and what they might think about how she looks. And frankly if she doesn't make an effort to adjust her appearance then what can she expect but public comment/criticism/ridicule, because didn't you know it is your feminine duty to LOOK GOOD/CLASSY/ATTRACTIVE probably even when you are DYING OF CANCER or bloody sitting on the toilet or anywhere.

What a crock.  This is such a big deal people! I am so mad about it I could just about scream. What he is saying is that it is ok to breastfeed, as long as you kind of look like Miranda Kerr, drape yourself in a peach coloured muslin wrap and retreat to another room to do it in a CLASSY way.  So I'm thinking he wouldn't be ok with a really fat woman with, say, a beard, a hunchback and monobrow exposing an enormous breast to feed her hungry child in the food court or wherever because I don't think she would fit in Kochie's gross little worldview.   But you know what?? That woman has every right to get her breast out in public, and who is he to determine what is "classy" and what isn't?

The other day at the shops a young hooligan wandered past me wearing a muscle shirt that exposed not one but both of his man boobs and nipples.   His breast tissue is apparently classy enough to be exposed to the world but mine isn't.

I can tell you now, people, that all this hoo ha makes me want to keep breastfeeding Baby B in public until he is 15, just to see the looks on people's faces.

Get your boobs out ladies! The more we see breasts doing what they should, in public, the less people will even notice! The more boobs the merrier! I have been guilty of skulking around the toilets/front seat of the car to feed my babies. Never again! No wraps or covers for me, I am going the whole boob out.

It's a boob people. Deal with it.

18 comments:

  1. He sounds like a moron. And he was once voted Father of the Year? I would much rather see a woman breastfeed her baby than listen to that hungry baby crying. If it makes other people uncomfortable, too bad. Now, as for breastfeeding B until he is 15.....hmmmmm

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    1. Yes a moron.
      Wots wrong wif breastfeeding a teenager eh? Ever seen Little Britain? Bitty!

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    2. I did a post on Jamie Lynne Grumet who featured on the cover of Time breastfeeding her son.I just thought it was unfair of her to subject him to that kind of scrutiny. He's going to be seeing that pic for the rest of his life. School will be tough! I thought she was just being sensationalist.

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    3. Oh yes that article was silly. Sulky I also support your right to publicly take the piss wherever and whenever you choose as you are so very amusing.

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  2. I'm a huge Breastfeeding advocate, what I am finding most annoying now is how it has instigated an outright war between mothers. I have seen it all over the interwebs and social media. Women are now taking up the issue of breast vs bottle and attacking extended Breastfeeding mothers. I have remained quiet until yesterday but it got the better of me and called a mother out on her comments who was trolling for comments. At the end of the day that fact still remains I will always meet the needs of my child whenever, however I please. I do not care about making a point "look at me I have my boob out", it's about my child not everyone else. I will always be string in my conviction, I will not back down, so if someone wants to take me on they can, I will not be shaken.

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    Replies
    1. I never used to care about making a point with the boob out but I do now. It's a feminist issue as well as an issue of what is best for a baby or young child.
      I know what.you mean re comments, I made the mistake of reading them on a Courier Mail website article, arghhh why do I do it to myself.

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  3. Power to you sister. Mothers need support not criticism. It's hard enough as it is.

    I think a large part of the problem is how our society has sexualised breasts. Men are attracted to them as a primal instinct from caveman days as it symbolises that the woman will be able to provide for his offspring. We have evolved from there and yet seem to have forgotten the outcome to that primal urge- the feeding of young.

    I'm hoping to start a family in the next few years and am intending to breastfeed publicly when my baby needs regardless of where I am. And I hope to feel empowered rather than shamed.

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  4. And in your pic the small amount of boob we can see is far less than what we would see in one of those 'selfies ' taken by a teenage girl with her cleavage pushed up, pulling her best duck face!

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  5. This reminded me of a story a friend told about large mother she witnessed breastfeeding in a cafe. The baby was resisting being fed, so the mother took her football sized breast, dunked it in the cafe's sugar bowl, and successfully got the baby to latch! My friend was never able to use a sugar bowl at a cafe again. Makes me laugh out loud every time I think of this story! All the best with your extended breastfeeding x

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  6. Love it. And yes, it is absolutely about remaining appealing to the male gaze. Grrr...

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  7. The whole point of a female boob is to feed a baby. I am just baffled by the ridiculous comments that people make about women who are doing nothing more than putting their anatomy to the correct use. What's next, criticising people for walking on their feet, eating with their mouths or looking with their eyes?!

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    Replies
    1. Yes! How scandalous! You are quite right Silk Slippers. Ridiculous indeed.

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