Breastfeeding Research Paper
Nearly every mature movie and television show has one sensualizing thing in common; the visibility of breasts. Whether it is a crime show, or a funny movie with children in it, breasts are nearly always shown. Men, regarding sexual desires and their ability to act on that desire, have always targeted women. Society has often debated whether rape and molestation are a direct result of the women’s choice of dress. On the other hand, men do not mind seeing a Carl’s Jr. commercial with Kate Upton’s breasts popping out of her swimsuit top. Recently breasts have been publicly debated involving a different topic, breastfeeding. Breastfeeding has been a natural form of nutrition for babies since the beginning of time. However public breastfeeding
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has only recently come to the limelight. Social media is overcome with the phrase normalize breastfeeding, meaning that women should be allowed to show their breasts in public while feeding their child without being ridiculed or ostracized. There have been many social experiments on social media regarding both breastfeeding and breasts. In one experiment a model, wearing an extremely revealing outfit, stood in public. Many different men walked up to her and asked for her number, called her pretty, or just stared as they walked by. Not one person told her that her outfit was too revealing or that she needed to cover herself. Having said that, a breastfeeding mother was shown sitting down with one breast out and quite the opposite reaction occurred. Men approached her stating that she needed to cover herself because they didn’t need to see that. Women even approached her directing her to the restroom to feed her child. They deemed it inappropriate for their children to see walking through the streets. This experiment proved to those in favor of breastfeeding in public that this was more of a social problem then what they had originally thought it to be. This social problem can easily be related to the proximity principle which states, “we often feel the effects of society through interpersonal interaction and communication with people around us” (House 1992). Those who are heavily religious are around others of the same belief system; therefore breastfeeding in public may be immoral to them. Because religious institutions are taught to be modest it may be inconceivable that a women would willingly show their breasts in public. However many religious people watch R rated movies in which nudity is forewarned. Breasts are one of the most common forms of nudity shown in the media, yet there is no uprising against this. The groups in favor of public breastfeeding most likely associate with others who are activists for normalizing breastfeeding. Usually we associate with people who have the same or similar beliefs as us, but this is not always true.
Recently I had an interaction with a coworker regarding this particular subject. She believes that breasts are a natural part of a woman and she should not be obligated to cover her breasts while breastfeeding, whether it is in public or not. I believe the same as her, however modesty is important to me. I do not mind a woman breastfeeding in public as long as she covers her breasts. I stated that I would not want my husband or young son, for instance, to see that while going about every day activities. This is not restricting a woman’s rights to breastfeed, but merely showing modesty and respect for the people around them. Another coworker entered the conversation with the same stance as the first instance, but once I explained my opinion she changed hers. This is a perfect example of the proximity principle because our interaction forced a change in opinion, and also gave a different outlook for society. Different perspectives can make the change for this social problem. I have noticed that people only focus on breasts in the media vs. breasts used for feeding an infant. There are multiple other scenarios, such as breasts being shown for breast cancer awareness, which could change the perspective on breastfeeding in public. When we look at the bigger picture breastfeeding in public is not the problem, it is the outlook of those in our society. Although an agreement may never be met, the judgment’s of others and clash in beliefs will remain constant regarding this social problem in our society
today.
has only recently come to the limelight. Social media is overcome with the phrase normalize breastfeeding, meaning that women should be allowed to show their breasts in public while feeding their child without being ridiculed or ostracized. There have been many social experiments on social media regarding both breastfeeding and breasts. In one experiment a model, wearing an extremely revealing outfit, stood in public. Many different men walked up to her and asked for her number, called her pretty, or just stared as they walked by. Not one person told her that her outfit was too revealing or that she needed to cover herself. Having said that, a breastfeeding mother was shown sitting down with one breast out and quite the opposite reaction occurred. Men approached her stating that she needed to cover herself because they didn’t need to see that. Women even approached her directing her to the restroom to feed her child. They deemed it inappropriate for their children to see walking through the streets. This experiment proved to those in favor of breastfeeding in public that this was more of a social problem then what they had originally thought it to be. This social problem can easily be related to the proximity principle which states, “we often feel the effects of society through interpersonal interaction and communication with people around us” (House 1992). Those who are heavily religious are around others of the same belief system; therefore breastfeeding in public may be immoral to them. Because religious institutions are taught to be modest it may be inconceivable that a women would willingly show their breasts in public. However many religious people watch R rated movies in which nudity is forewarned. Breasts are one of the most common forms of nudity shown in the media, yet there is no uprising against this. The groups in favor of public breastfeeding most likely associate with others who are activists for normalizing breastfeeding. Usually we associate with people who have the same or similar beliefs as us, but this is not always true.
Recently I had an interaction with a coworker regarding this particular subject. She believes that breasts are a natural part of a woman and she should not be obligated to cover her breasts while breastfeeding, whether it is in public or not. I believe the same as her, however modesty is important to me. I do not mind a woman breastfeeding in public as long as she covers her breasts. I stated that I would not want my husband or young son, for instance, to see that while going about every day activities. This is not restricting a woman’s rights to breastfeed, but merely showing modesty and respect for the people around them. Another coworker entered the conversation with the same stance as the first instance, but once I explained my opinion she changed hers. This is a perfect example of the proximity principle because our interaction forced a change in opinion, and also gave a different outlook for society. Different perspectives can make the change for this social problem. I have noticed that people only focus on breasts in the media vs. breasts used for feeding an infant. There are multiple other scenarios, such as breasts being shown for breast cancer awareness, which could change the perspective on breastfeeding in public. When we look at the bigger picture breastfeeding in public is not the problem, it is the outlook of those in our society. Although an agreement may never be met, the judgment’s of others and clash in beliefs will remain constant regarding this social problem in our society
today.