Are you really outraged? (Page 3)

I don't have a problem with breast feeding in public, but I've never really understood this argument.  There are plenty of bodily functions that are completely normal, but that people would rather not see in public.  When I'm not peeing in the pool, I don't think people walking down the street would want to see me peeing in an empty water bottle.  Not that there's anything wrong with that.

You are an adult, and, presumably, have control over your bodily functions.  Children, particularly infants, do not.  When they get hungry, they are hungry. 

So what?  If I need to urinate, why should I have to wait to find a restroom so I can do so away from the public eye?  I mean, it's natural.  Right?

So peeing in a pool and brest feeding in public are the same thing?

Not peeing in a pool, that's gross, but peeing in a water bottle on the sidewalk.  For this purpose, yes.  They are both perfectly normal bodily functions using body parts for their intended purpose.  One is illegal, while the other is protected by law (in some places).  Point being, it doesn't make sense, to me, to protect breast feeding in public solely because it's natural or because it uses a body part for it's intended purpose.  Because, so is peeing in a water bottle on the sidewalk.  I think there are other reasons.  Mainly, necessity.

Spot on Gomesbolt. I do not think that anyone in Public Affairs would let this happen... due to the fact that it is controversial and by making it official would cause a lot of flack to fall on the higher ups in the Air Force.

I have no problem with breastfeeding in public. I am the father of a 9 month old and my wife did breastfeed in public early on. When I say public I mean in her car or in a quiet place. But doing it in the uniform is completely different. As mentioned earlier, in the UCMJ you can get in trouble for smoking and walking, talking on your cell phone and walking and tons of other minor things a normal civilian would not think twice about. Now if these Military moms wanted to breastfeed at work or in public they could easily get out of public view to take care of business. I find that these two going out and making a 'statement' to better inform the public on breastfeeding went a little too far. I completely support moms in the military and everything moms have to go through and deal with during pregnancy and after but this is not proving that point.

that's because so many women sexualize penises in society today

you can also breastfeed in uniform - if you are in your home or office or some private space.  you can't sit down in a park in uniform and WIO.  same rule applies to peeing, actually.

I'm not suggesting they are one in the same, I'm suggesting that they are both perfectly normal bodily functions using body parts for their intended purpose - a reason stated up a bit for public breast feeding being acceptable/protected.  However, they are indeed different.

So I get the sarc font, and realize that a penis is genitalia and breasts are not, but I think it's shortsighted to decry the sexualization of the female breast. It's part of human DNA for men to be sexually attracted to and by breasts. The human male animal has a natural sexual response to certain female features just as any male animal has a sexual response to certain features of the female of that species. I'm pretty sure I first learned about secondary sexual characteristics in 10th grade biology class, but I was stoned much of the time. I know for sure it was covered in a human sexuality class I took in college.

I would disagree I think in western society we make the breast sexual. In other countries they are bare much more and with not much or any sexual meaning. So I say as a society we make it sexual but not in our DNA as males.

Just cause you think it doesn't mark it so:

secondary sex characteristicAny of the physical traits in a sexually mature animal that are specific to one sex but are not directly involved in the act of reproducing. Secondary sex characteristics are thought to have evolved to give an individual an advantage in mating by making the individual more attractive to mates or by allowing the individual to defeat rivals in competition for mates. Some secondary sex characteristics include the facial hair of the human male, the relatively prominent breasts of the human female, the antlers found only in the male of most species of deer, and the colorful plumage of the males of many species of birds. The appearance of secondary sex characteristics is determined by the sex hormones. See more at sexual selection.

The taboos and societal pressures of different cultures will vary however

i was really only commenting on the fact that penises are ugly little (or big, or in between) things.

I feel degaded and my self esteem is at an all time low. We need to march to protect the male penis from such attacks. Where can I get a magnetic ribon to stick on my car to increase penis awearness?

trmat79 - 2012-06-01 9:27 AM I like how much the thread has blown up. Give me something to stir the pot with at work. SO wait can I walk outside and pee right now??? I'm confused get me my UCMJ!!

Better not fart man, bad news.

trmat79 - 2012-06-01 9:51 AM

Big Appa - 2012-06-01 10:43 AM

trmat79 - 2012-06-01 9:27 AM I like how much the thread has blown up. Give me something to stir the pot with at work. SO wait can I walk outside and pee right now??? I'm confused get me my UCMJ!!

Better not fart man, bad news.

oh trust me i know...it seems more and more these days that its better to sit at your computer with your mouth shut and don't speak until someone asks you a question and then just give the answer they want to hear and go back to keeping quiet.

That is how it works in a normal business.

Perhaps "shut up" was a bit harsh, but here is my point. 

I think most can agree from the state of politics in this country that rhetoric does no good, and someone who is entrenched in an idea is not going to change their mind any time soon.

So, someone who treats a woman unjustly as you say for breastfeeding in public, obviously already has a strong opinion on the topic and is not likely to change their mind. I don't see someone who publicly berates a mommy, changing their mind about it after seeing two airmen in uniform breastfeeding in a magazine, in fact I think it would go further to entrench them and will likely cause them to take out even more frustration on the next breastfeeding mom they come across.

Likewise someone who is for breastfeeding is for it and will not be more for it by seeing the magazine, and will not be against it if someone creates a counter article in the "war on breastfeeding". 

So really the only people that matter are the undecided's who really don't have a strong opinion either way. These are the people who are likely to see a breastfeeding woman and say "hmmm, what do I want for lunch today?" IE, if no one makes it a big deal, it is not a big deal to anyone other than those it is already a big deal to. 

So for me, I don't have a strong opinion on the topic, I am fine with mom's feeding in public. However, a million mom march that stops traffic and subjects me to a bunch of moms with their boobs out in support of breastfeeding is going to do more to turn me off to the idea than to get me into their camp.

Much like critical mass events are supposedly to raise awareness, but all they really do is create more bike haters.

I think this article/picture was in the same poor taste. Disrespecting the uniform in order to make a point is like a critical mass event, it does more harm than good. 

Hopefully that explains my point that often it is better to just zip it than to make a point. It isn't going to change the mind of any hardliners and often it will push the passive people into a stance that won't help you. 

When I first saw the picture and read the OP (I didn't read the attached link) I didn't realize the hullabaloo was about breastfeeding while wearing a military uniform. It would have been very helpful if OP had made that clear distinction. Come on Musky, do I have to actually read stuff?

I've never served in the military, but I understand and respect the ideals behind the UCMJ.