Comments on: Facebook Hypocrisy – Reflections of a Culture

By: Carmen

Carmen — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:50:31 +0000

There’s another group on facebook at the moment called “It isn’t rape… it’s surprise sex”. Some users, myself included, are campaigning to get it and others like it removed. Next month we are going to be emailing them every day for a week and I was wondering, would it would be ok if I quoted some of this entry to them in my email? You manage to phrase everything I want to say to them so well.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sun, 02 May 2010 10:06:12 +0000

Its ridiculas isn’t it! The double standard of it.

Though, after months and months of sheepishly hiding away while I breast fed my inlaws grandchild, in my own home, I now feed out and proud – and let them shift uncomfortably on their seats. My house. My son. My breasts. Not sure why anyone would feel the need to comment? Unless the comment is “hey thats awesome your still feeding! High-five!”

By: momshare.net

momshare.net — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:25:14 +0000

Facebook Hypocrisy – Reflections of a Culture — Lactivist Leanings…

This is the culture we live in folks. It’s the culture we work in every day trying to normalize breastfeeding and support breastfeeding mothers. It’s a culture where women are hood ornaments, and breasts are put to work selling beer, vodka, and other a…

By: LeaningLactivist

LeaningLactivist — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:38:50 +0000

Yes we do. The double standard can be so infuriating! Here’s hoping that your example causes your father-in-law to rethink and shift his attitude.

By: LeaningLactivist

LeaningLactivist — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:11:09 +0000

That makes me sad. Rosie has a lot of good things to say and I really wish she had been more supportive of Kelli. That goes to show that the little twinge in my head regarding partners wasn’t for nothing. =(

By: LeaningLactivist

LeaningLactivist — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:07:25 +0000

I would love to see your take on this Summer. I think there is a lot to be said around the issue(s).

By: kittenpie

kittenpie — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:10:21 +0000

Not to disagree with any of this, because I think you have some really valid point about sexualizing of female bodies and so on (and the jealous partner was an issue in our book club book this month, in fact), but a couple of things to throw in:

- I’ve always seen the discomfort of viewing breasts as simultaneously for feeding and sexuality as being uncomfy for our society because it then allows the idea of breastfeeding as erogenous, and if we want to keep the idea of children’s sexuality at bay, that muddies it in some people’s heads, making it easier/safer (?) to keep them far apart. Not to mention, it keeps mothers in the “asexual beings” category where we are often considered to belong.

- Rape is tricky because it’s not just a human construct and therefore while it is theoretically/logically as easy as men not raping, that is to deny our baser aspects. Rats, for example, begin to rape in overpopulated settings, and keep harems. So yes, it should be that easy, it should be that clear, but people aren’t as civilised as we like to think. SADLY.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:06:28 +0000

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by phdinparenting: Sharing: Facebook hypocrisy – Reflections of a culture (on breasts, rape, breastfeeding) http://is.gd/4TlNz (@herbadmother you might like)…

By: Summer

Summer — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:50:56 +0000

I had planned to write about this same thing this afternoon, but I think you hit the nail on the head far better than I ever could. It’s bizarre, in a sad wth is wrong with this world kind of way.

By: Bettina

Bettina — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:05:34 +0000

Great post, and thank you for including the images that speak volumes in one glance. We are trying to appeal to and reach women who are squeamish about breastfeeding, and can not imagine using their breasts in any non-sexual way. These are women who might want to breastfeed but have difficulty getting past their cultural comfort zone. So we are meeting them in their comfort zone, and using lots of AND language: yes, you can be powerful, nurturing and glamorous at the same time! Essentially, we are telling them that they can include breastfeeding IN their tightly-held identity, and we are giving them images that they can relate to and that can bridge the gap, much as the nude picture of very pregnant Demi Moore changed the way our culture viewed and supported expecting mothers. We need to speak the visual and spoken language of the vast mainstream if we want to affect change, much as the green, fitness and cause industry has done.