Breastfeeding doll will lead to horny 5 year olds and pregnancy

[Calistas]

Perhaps this is better in the YouTube thread... but it is funny enough to deserve its own thread.

http://www.feministing.com/archives/017126.html


I wasn't all that surprised to find that people are having a hissy over the world's first breastfeeding doll. Why, do you ask? Because apparently the doll not only will turn little boys on, but promote early pregnancy - to, um, 5 year olds.


"Breasts are to entice a man to sleep with you and to feed the ensuing children"

Read the link for Fox News going into hysterics.

[extarbags]

Hmm... it's hard to know how to feel about this one. On one hand, Fox is definitely retarded, and that show appears to be even a different kind of retarded from the rest of their shows. On the other hand, the doll is also retarded. And on the third hand, that blog is retarded. So basically, everyone involved is terrible.

[Angie Gallant]

Kids in families that breastfeed do this anyway with regular dolls. Considering how low the breastfeeding rate is in the US I wouldn't mind anything that normalizes the practice so people stop freaking out about it.

[CSL]

Rosseau would be sad.

[Moore]

Kids in families that breastfeed do this anyway with regular dolls. Considering how low the breastfeeding rate is in the US I wouldn't mind anything that normalizes the practice so people stop freaking out about it.

But 'mericans hate smarties, and breast feeding just makes smart, Obamalike babies. 'Merica wants more dummies.

[tiohn]

What Angie said is how I feel. Go, Angie, go!

[Warning]

Considering how low the breastfeeding rate is in the US I wouldn't mind anything that normalizes the practice so people stop freaking out about it.
I know those rates are true but when my wife and I were breastfeeding (ok really just her) our three sons 10ish years ago we didn't know anybody with infants who wasn't breastfeeding.

When my mom had me 40ish years ago she didn't know anyone who did breastfeed. The way she talked, it was actively discouraged. So I have to think our society has made major progress based on my enormous sample size.

[extarbags]

According to this chart (http://www.jointcenter.org/DB/table/databank/childrenandyouth/breastfeeding_72to74_93to94.pdf), substantially more babies are breastfed "now" (early nineties) than "before" (early seventies), but the ones that are breastfed aren't breastfed for as long, maybe?

[Angie Gallant]

Yeah, the rate is rising, but retention is bad. Most of that can be laid at the feet of our sad maternity leave policies. Pumping is difficult, doesn't produce as much milk, and most workplaces barely accommodate it, not to mention that co-workers tend to get pissed about frequent breaks to pump milk. But there are definitely areas of the country where breastfeeding is discouraged, whether it be due to formula propaganda or puritan fear of the boobies.

I'm glad to be living where I am, where breastfeeding isn't regarded as a sexual act and no one has given me guff about it even when Rose decides that she must be free of the cover and rips it off. I've been breastfeeding for almost 9 months now and believe me, soooo not a sexual act at all.

[kerzain]

People can say there's no sexuality in the act, and no weirdness about it, that's it just normal and beautiful -- they can say this, but is that really true?

How come then when a new mother brings her baby to work, and people start taking pictures to bring home everybody looks at you funny when you ask to take a picture of her breastfeeding the baby? It's not like you're trying to catch her in a sexual act or taking a dump or something.

[Ben Sones]

Next time you do it, try to avoid saying things like "That is so hot!" or "Okay, now how about one without the baby?"

[Hans Lauring]

Because even though it isn't sexual it's still somewhat private.

[kerzain]

Ben, you made me smile. Thank you.

[Angie Gallant]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3030/3081063629_360ffed8ce.jpg

Here's a super-sexy picture of me breastfeeding. Hot stuff.

[kerzain]

This is going to sound dickish, but I knew you would do this.

Edit: this was the rest of what I was planning to say

To help from seeming like a jerk, I wasn't trying to goad you into posting a pic. Although the normal reaction to someone seemingly goading you into proving "it's not so bad huh? you do it" would be to go ahead and prove it, getting you to do this wasn't my goal.

I'm the kind of guy who really isn't phased by stuff like this, but I can see why the situation is a little weirder than some people would have you believe. I don't like being shoulder to shoulder with someone when I gotta pee, but when we both gotta pee and there are two urinals, by god we'll pee shoulder to shoulder. We don't like it (well, I don't like it, he might love it for all I know), but we do it and we move on. If I wasn't afraid of getting his pee on me I'd be tempted to punch him in the face if he told me I had to wait until he was finished before I stepped up to do my business next to him.

Yea, all this stuff is normal, that doesn't stop people from feeling just a bit weird about it. The difference is based on maturity. If you're immature you won't know how to deal with this and you'll go to the boss and file a complaint. If you're mature you'll get over it. But that doesn't mean all mature people don't do a second take when they realize what you're doing. They don't don't fuss about it, because it isn't worth fussing over.

What pisses me off are the immature people from both sides of the fence. The ones that not only freak out because you're feeding, but also the ones who freak out if someone admits that "yea, it was a little weird at first, but I got over it, no big deal". Guess what, we can't all control our thoughts and first impressions, but we can control our actions. I can't help that I want to look away when a mother is feeding, and I certainly can't help it if I think she's a little loopy for wanting to talk to me while doing so, but I'm not going to spaz out if either happens.

Just realize there's a difference between intolerance and comfort. You can avoid one, and you can grow out of/in to the other, without the nasty comments from either side.

BTW, congrats on the baby. I know you think I'm a tool, but I don't think that about you.

[Angie Gallant]

kerzain, I knew you weren't being serious, I was taking your comment as an opportunity to put my money where my mouth is on a topic I am passionate about. And for what it's worth, I am not offended by people looking away when Rose is eating. But I would be mighty ticked about getting kicked out of somewhere for it, which still happens across the nation when people who aren't exposed to it as normal are in positions of authority.

[Rasputin]

I would like to point out, Angie, that your "non-sexual" pic does have euphemistic full frontal.

[Euri]

I would like to point out, Angie, that your "non-sexual" pic does have euphemistic full frontal.

And a completely bare pussy.

[Jojo]

I'm not sure what your point is Kerzain. Breastfeeding is not a sexual act for the mother or child, but boobs themselves are sexualized, so most nursing mothers would prefer that people don't take photos, stare, harrass, or tell them to cover up etc. Its just a matter of separating the act from the equipment :)

[kerzain]

My point is that you can't have it both ways. It's either the same as giving the baby a bottle or it isn't. If someone took pics of a co-worker giving her baby a bottle that wouldn't be weird, but if I took them while she was breast feeding, suddenly it's weird.

So which is it?

My point: Don't assume someone is hateful because they recognize the weirdness of the situation for what it is. Let their actions determine that. But it's incorrect to equate breast feeding to bottle nursing, as so many right-to-feed people do.

[Jojo]

Who assumed anyone was hateful? (NB: I haven't read the linked story). People who feel a little awkward when I am breastfeeding near them aren't hateful, as long as they don't harrass me about their feelings. Feeling awkward being near me breastfeeding? Bummer, feel free not to look or to move away - assuming its a public space. I do have a right to feed my child in public. If I need to feed him and its a private space, I always ask first if it's OK. If it's not (never happened yet) then I'll move elsewhere. That's all we reasonably ask.

I don't think it is exactly the same as giving a baby a bottle, in that some people may act weirdly or feel awkward with breastfeeding but not bottle feeding. However that doesn't make it any less OK to breastfeed in public. The weird feelings are the viewer's problem, not the mother's, and certainly not the baby's problem, they just need food.

[Funkula]

I think kerzain's problem is that he just looked at someone and successfully expressed a thought to them, which is acknowledged non verbally, and he knows they know exactly what he meant...

You want someone to let you take pictures of them breastfeeding, they know it, and you know they know it. Should you then be required to say, "Please let me photograph your milk-laden boobs."?

[Bill Dungsroman]

CEILING CAT IS WATCHING YOU LACTATE

[Adree]

How about using a titty burqa?

http://www.fitceleb.com/files/images/breastfeeding.jpg

[Wholly Schmidt]

CEILING CAT IS WATCHING YOU LACTATE

Magnificent.

[Angie Gallant]

I have that exact titty burqa. Sometimes Rose decides to rip it off.

[dermot]

My point is that you can't have it both ways. It's either the same as giving the baby a bottle or it isn't. If someone took pics of a co-worker giving her baby a bottle that wouldn't be weird, but if I took them while she was breast feeding, suddenly it's weird.
I don't think anyone's saying it's the same thing because clearly it isn't. It is normal, but so is shitting and not everybody wants to be photographed doing that either.

[Bahimiron]

I agree with the host of the show. The act is disgusting, the human body is disgusting, everything should be covered up at all times unless bitches are trying to lure men to bed so they can fuck and fuck just to have babies which they will feed with bottles in the privacy of their own home because no one wants their children to see the plastic pornography that is a bottle's nipple.

(Seriously, the disgust that the show's host demonstrates over the very idea of breastfeeding makes me think someone needs to have a talk with his mom.)

[extarbags]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3030/3081063629_360ffed8ce.jpg

Here's a super-sexy picture of me breastfeeding. Hot stuff.

NSFW, geez!

[Fugitive]

That cat is going to get sprayed with a water bottle if he doesn't stop staring.

[Kalle]

The little pussycat just wants a bowl of milk.