Seriously.īreastfeeding itself challenges that very idea, by reminding people that breasts not only have a purpose, but that purpose has absolutely nothing to do with straight men or sex. We're not humans of our own, with our own needs or reasons for being, we're just things for men to use as they please. From storylines that slut-shame women for being sexual beings to commercials that use scantily-clad women as bait for male consumers (who are all presumed to be straight and cisgender) we're collectively taught that women who actually want or enjoy sex are bad, and that women's bodies exist solely to fulfill men's sexual desires. Growing up in a sexist and sex-negative culture, we are all inundated with images and ideas that simultaneously stigmatize, sexualize, and objectify women's bodies. Sexist representations of breastfeeding in the media reinforce a lot of misinformation and stereotypes that cause people - particularly those who aren't targeted by the pro-breastfeeding messaging moms get through childbirth classes, healthcare professionals, etc. Once I started watching and re-watching many shows and movies through my new lens as a nursing mother, though, it started to make more sense. As a nursing mom and a member of multiple breastfeeding support groups, I used to feel confused that while the public health community and many parent groups proudly proclaim that "breast is best" for babies, so many breastfeeding moms would report being shamed, harassed, and even discriminated against for actually choosing to nurse their kids.
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