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  • FRIDAY AUGUST 4 2006 6:00 PM

Mag's Breastfeeding Photo Is Too Titillating for Readers

Submitted by PopMonger

Edited by PopMonger

Tags: BabyTalk, breastfeeding, breasts, photo, readers

A parenting magazine is at the center of a breastfeeding controversy after featuring a nursing mother on the cover of its August issue.

BabyTalk, a magazine catering to new mothers, received hundreds of letters in response to the photo, with many readers calling it offensive and disgusting.

One mother who didn't like the cover explains she was concerned about her 13-year-old son seeing it.

"I shredded it," said Gayle Ash, of Belton, Texas, in a telephone interview. "A breast is a breast - it's a sexual thing. He didn't need to see that."


Another woman, who’s in favor of breastfeeding, said she also wanted to protect her family from seeing unwanted breastage.

"I'm totally supportive of it - I just don't like the flashing," she said. "I don't want my son or husband to accidentally see a breast they didn't want to see."


Because, of course, they always tell her which breasts they do want to see.
The photo was meant to call attention to the current debate over breastfeeding in public. A recent poll found that 57 percent of Americans oppose public breastfeeding, while a new generation of mothers - "lactivists" - are advocating for a woman's right to whip 'em out whenever she needs to.

BabyTalk executive editor Lisa Moran said it's the first time a major U.S. parenting magazine has shown a woman's breast.


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Comments
armrebecca

armrebecca

The Pas, MB
February 2006

AUG 05, 2006 06:10 PM

breasts are not f**king sexual if they are nourishing a growing human being who needs their mom's immunities AND needs to f**king eat to live!! So for the woman who said her 13 year old didn't need to see that f**k you lady! You are the reason why some women decide not to breastfeed.

ASSH0LE

ASSH0LE

Las Vegas, NV
June 2003

AUG 05, 2006 06:11 PM

Jace said:
First of all - why didn't they just say it was an elbow? Babies suck on anything. Babies suck on walls if you approach at the right angle. Problem solved.



MadSeason

MadSeason

Berkeley, CA
May 2006

AUG 05, 2006 06:51 PM

Wow.....I mean wow.... They werent offended when they were sucking on one. People are twisted to find that sexual- And who doesnt want to see boobs. I mean really- who are those women kidding. I think chicks should whoop them out whenever- even if they arent breatsfeeding. Breasts are beautiful. Power to the boobies!

PaulNikon

PaulNikon

Melbourne, FL
February 2003

AUG 05, 2006 06:57 PM

Palo

Palo

SUICIDEGIRL

Massachusetts, USA

AUG 05, 2006 07:16 PM

I can't believe I almost missed out on the chance to post a picture of myself, especially when it's so fitting...

ASSH0LE

ASSH0LE

Las Vegas, NV
June 2003

AUG 05, 2006 11:48 PM

LizaRose said:
well.

so the july-august issue of "Mothering" magazine also sports a cover photo of a woman breastfeeding. i don't think they've had any trouble.



Yeah, but check out one of the top sponsors on their site.

One might suppose moms who'd buy things from "Little Lefties" don't have such a warped perspective on breastfeeding or for that matter the female breast.

Boleyn

Boleyn

Charlotte, NC
December 2004

AUG 06, 2006 12:33 AM

Kettle said:

Penfold said:
I really have no opinion on the cover ether way. As far as the issue of breastfeeding in public: I gotta say, honestly, that's what bottles are for. Yes it's perfectly natural, and no, there's nothing sexual about it, but in my view somethings just need to be private (like taking a shit - another natural, non-sexual act).



that's what bottles are for?? that is the most fucking ridiculous thing i have ever heard. you have to be kidding me if you think that nursing a baby is the same thing as taking a shit. there's a big damn difference. that's what bottles are for? HELLO! that's what BREASTS are for!!!!! babies are born to be breastfed!!! a baby eating and a person taking a dump are not even on the same page. most mother's when they do nurse in public- you can't even tell they are doing it!!! the baby covers everything nipple and below and their shirt covers everything above. what about that act needs to be hidden?



Kettle just said everything I was about to.

OctoberSeven

OctoberSeven

Downers Grove, IL
December 2002

AUG 06, 2006 09:05 PM

bcguitar33 said:

Penfold said:
I really have no opinion on the cover ether way. As far as the issue of breastfeeding in public: I gotta say, honestly, that's what bottles are for. Yes it's perfectly natural, and no, there's nothing sexual about it, but in my view somethings just need to be private (like taking a shit - another natural, non-sexual act).



That's what bottles are for? It must be cool to have the authority to decide these things.

Maybe if breastfeeding smelled like and only occured as rarely as taking a shit, you'd have a point about it needing to be private.




The only thing I have authority over is a couple of internet groups.

I knew I'd catch shit over my comment, and you know what? I don't care. That's my view on it, plain and simple. However I'm not going to presume to tell a woman that she cannot breastfeed in public, I'm simply expressing a personal opinion is all. You'll excuse me, I hope, for not adding the sacred IMHO tag, though I would have thought the words "in my view" covered it.

mamet

mamet

Charleston, SC
March 2005

AUG 06, 2006 09:07 PM

How utterly preposterous.

Melicious

Melicious

Dallas, TX
July 2006

AUG 15, 2006 11:44 AM

I'm a waitress. And every now and then you have the occasional mother that feels like staying at the table and enjoing her dinner with the rest of her family while her infant enjoys his dinner. And every other server will be in the kitchen, "OMFG!!! That lady at 32 has her boob out and is breast feeding! OMG!! Go look! You can see her boob!"
Somehow, that is not ok, but I have seen women come in in sheer tops, no bra mind you, short skirts... and you can see the ass crack on top, the cheeks on the bottom. This is ok. But breast feeding... well, start a witch hunt why don't you? puke

kitschy

kitschy

Raleigh, NC
July 2004

AUG 15, 2006 02:49 PM

BKiddo said:
I'm a waitress. And every now and then you have the occasional mother that feels like staying at the table and enjoing her dinner with the rest of her family while her infant enjoys his dinner. And every other server will be in the kitchen, "OMFG!!! That lady at 32 has her boob out and is breast feeding! OMG!! Go look! You can see her boob!"
Somehow, that is not ok, but I have seen women come in in sheer tops, no bra mind you, short skirts... and you can see the ass crack on top, the cheeks on the bottom. This is ok. But breast feeding... well, start a witch hunt why don't you? puke




Amen! This is just a continuation of the age-old battle over just how women are "supposed" to act in public, and what part of their bodies are acceptable to be seen in public, and how the female body is supposed to be used.

And frankly, this uproar is just SAD. Pathetic. And, embarrassing.

Nixon

Nixon

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

AUG 15, 2006 06:23 PM

There's no nipple...I'm SOOOO confused....

On the other hand, it makes me vomit to see people breastfeed in public. (It's the baby that triggers it, not the breast).I'm not suggesting they need to go outside, or express milk, but for God's sake use the little towel!!!!! And while I'm ranting, please change diapers in the restroom. Not on the FUCKING COUNTER at my work.

There's a reason I didn't breed.

joker_

joker_

Minneapolis, MN
October 2005

AUG 15, 2006 06:54 PM

Nixon said:
There's no nipple...I'm SOOOO confused....

On the other hand, it makes me vomit to see people breastfeed in public. (It's the baby that triggers it, not the breast).I'm not suggesting they need to go outside, or express milk, but for God's sake use the little towel!!!!! And while I'm ranting, please change diapers in the restroom. Not on the FUCKING COUNTER at my work.

There's a reason I didn't breed.



love love love

Idjit

Idjit

HOPEFUL

I'm lost

AUG 15, 2006 06:56 PM

The funny thing is that's a picture of somebody's elbow. Babies are so stupid.

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