Look how far we’ve come. Look how far we still have to go …..
A few days ago, you could not turn on the TV, open Facebook, read an article or type a tweet without seeing Caitlyn Jenner pushing up her new girls for the world to admire. And we admired. Good for her! Power to you Caitlyn! Work it Girl! For the most part we accepted. Amazing, wonderful, I am so glad that we are becoming more accepting and inclusive society.
We are capable of so much compassion and understanding that we can celebrate on every kind of media the public transformation of a man to a woman, but struggle accepting a practice as old as humanity itself.
So it makes me wonder.
Why, if we can accept that a man, who is transitioning to a woman, can flaunt perfect, white, perky breasts for the universe to see, why, why are we still struggling to accept a mother, showing 1/3 as much breast to feed her child?
Why are Caitlyn Jenner’s purchased, implanted and flaunted breasts more acceptable than one giving nourishment? Is it because they are perfect, perky or fake? Because they aren’t sagging, stretchy or being used to feed? Why do people continue to berate each other with absurdities like “ whipping them out” and “poo’ing is natural too” nonsense?
Of course this isn’t about Caitlyn or even the LGBT movement. But it is sensational enough to catch your eye, grasp your attention and hopefully challenge the mind.
We are moving towards an age of acceptance, but we have left some people behind in the process.
This isn’t about feminism, or even ‘mom’ism, this is about moving so quickly that we have left the rights of the most vulnerable behind. The child.
In all the this, the rights of the child have been forgotten. The child’s, infant in most cases, right to feed. To feel comfort, to feel safe. And I will advocate till my dying day, that the rights of the child ALWAYS supersede your right to eat at a restaurant, fly on a plane, shop in a mall, to look the other way. Every. Single. Time.
So yeah for Caitlyn Jenner’s new boobs, and amen for all the boobs that feed, comfort and keeps our babes nourished and safe. Surely there is room in our Facebook feed for both.
AMBER
Tuesday 16th of June 2015
The problem isn't the fact that you are breastfeeding, it's the fact that some of you "whip it out" ANYWHERE, like in front of my 3 y/o, who doesnt know what a breast is. It's all a respect issue. There should be a middle ground for EVERYONE to feel comfortable not just the breastfeeding mom! I don't think you should have to walk to your car but I do think you all should be respectful enough to go to a private area, and not in the middle of a restaurant! We paid to come eat, not watch you feed your baby. Sex is natural, it's how you make the babies to which you want to feed anywhere, would it be ok for me and my boyfriend to "whip it out" and making it in the restaurant, You know since it's natural..... a ITS PRODUCING LIFE! I breastfed both my kids and out of respect for myself, kids, and boyfriend and not wanting to expose myself to a sexual PREDATOR (cause they are EVERYWHERE ) I took the 1 to 2 minutes to walk to a less exposed area and feed my children. MY KIDS GREW UP FINE AND IM STILL LIVING. RIGHTS GO BOTH WAYS.
Adri
Thursday 4th of June 2015
Just wow. Do lactivist have to turn everything into talking about breastfeeding?
Allison Graham
Thursday 4th of June 2015
You have a great point, however it's lost amidst your inability to use the right pronouns or the correct name for Caitlyn Jenner.
Shay
Thursday 4th of June 2015
Continuing to call Caitlyn Bruce is disrespectful.To what end? How does being disrespectful to Caitlyn help promote a child's right to breastfeed? If this is about any child's right it's about the kids who are trans and need to see trans role models. So maybe kids like Leelah won't decide life is so horrible they choose to commit suicide. See someone out there is like me.
Most people I know who support Caitlyn also support nursing in public and sharing BF photos on facebook.
Ali
Thursday 4th of June 2015
Caitlyn has made it abundantly clear she wants to be called Caitlyn, not Bruce. Consistently calling her by her former name and gender is disrespectful, ignorant and repugnant.